Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has hailed the late ex-U.S. President Jimmy Carter as a “humanist par excellence” and the one non-African chief who personally visited Common Sani Abacha to plead for his launch from jail.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s army Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and later as a two-term civilian president from 1999 to 2007, recounted his experiences in a heartfelt tribute titled “Jimmy Carter: The Departure of a Titan”.
The tribute was learn throughout a memorial service on the Chapel of Christ the Wonderful King throughout the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, on Sunday.
Obasanjo revealed that his imprisonment by Abacha’s army regime in 1995 stemmed from his vocal opposition to the dictatorship’s excesses.
Reflecting on Carter’s pivotal function, he said, “President Carter was one among my overseas pals who caught their necks out to save lots of my life and to hunt my launch from jail. On President Carter’s go to to Nigeria, he obtained Abacha to comply with take me from detention to deal with arrest on my farm.
“However that didn’t final for too lengthy. Many different pals and leaders intervened, however President Carter was the one non-African chief, in accordance with my info, that paid a go to to Abacha solely to plead for my launch.”
Obasanjo shared a private reference to Carter, drawing parallels between their humble beginnings and the values instilled by their mother and father.
“He was born right into a farming household in Plains, Georgia, and I used to be born right into a farming household within the rural village of Ibogun-Olaogun in Ogun State.
“He grew up underneath a father and mom who have been disciplinarians, who instilled in him self-discipline, morality, arduous work, integrity, kindness, and humility. My mother and father inculcated related attributes in me,” he continued.
The previous president humorously famous one distinction.
“He beat me although in a single respect—there was a highway to his settlement. There was no highway to my village. We walked to each place or, at finest, have been carried on bicycles.”
Their shared army backgrounds additional solidified their bond, as they first met when Obasanjo served as Nigeria’s army Head of State.
Carter’s Legacy in Africa, Turner Connection
Obasanjo praised Carter for championing African causes, notably in Southern Africa, the place he performed a key function in dismantling apartheid and colonial rule.
He contrasted Carter’s dedication to the continent with the unsympathetic stance of his predecessor, President Gerald Ford.
“President Carter’s go to to Nigeria in March 1978 marked the primary state go to by a sitting American President, underscoring his dedication to African progress,” Obasanjo said.
He additionally recounted how media mogul Ted Turner enlisted Carter’s help in advocating for his launch. Turner supplied to help Obasanjo’s household wherever on the planet throughout his ordeal.
“Within the U.S., I known as on President Carter, who advised me all of the efforts he made with different leaders and Abacha remaining unyielding for my launch. However essentially the most shocking factor Carter stated to me was, ‘Please see Ted Turner and thank him for his generosity. He got here to me and requested me to get his pal, Obasanjo, launched from jail. I’ll deal with him and his household right here or wherever he chooses to reside.’ I used to be touched and moved to tears.”
Lifetime of Humility and Service
Reflecting on Carter’s life and management, Obasanjo counseled his humility, selflessness, and dedication to humanity.
“One nice lesson I discovered from President Carter was that in his management, he carried alongside a military of associates that shared the beliefs and the burden of the work with him. He led by instance and in humility, and that made success attend his means,” he added.
As he bid farewell to his pal, Obasanjo expressed gratitude for Carter’s life and the enduring legacy of his service to humanity.
“For me, I’d miss an awesome and true pal, however I do know we will meet once more in Paradise. Might his soul relaxation in peace.”
Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, on the age of 100 in Plains, Georgia.