5th November, 2022
Atiku Abubakar said the image of Olusegun Obasanjo ought to be in the redesigned Naira note to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent.
Atiku, who served as the vice president to President Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007, made the comment on Saturday while hailing his boss for facilitating peace in Ethiopia.
Obasanjo headed an African Union diplomatic mission which has led to a peace treaty between Ethiopia and Tigray after two years of devastating conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and left millions needing aid.
Reacting to the development, Atiku said Obasanjo is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, and he will nominate him when entries are open for nominations.
He said: “I celebrate the extraordinary prowess of His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in bringing peace to Ethiopia. I am not surprised. I know my boss. He did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office. If for nothing else, he is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, and I will nominate him when entries are open for nominations.
“Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo. A man whose image ought to be in the redesigned Naira note to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent.
“On behalf of my family, I congratulate you, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, for successfully ending the Ethiopia-Tigray conflict. And I thank God for the gift of wisdom and foresight He gave you, which you have used creditably to steer Nigeria and Africa on the right path.”
The surprise deal between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and Tigrayan rebels was unveiled after little over a week of negotiations led by the African Union in South Africa and was hailed by the UN and the US among others.
Announcing the breakthrough almost exactly two years to the day since the war erupted in November 2020, Obasanjo said it is a new dawn.
“Today is the beginning of a new dawn for Ethiopia, for the Horn of Africa, and indeed for Africa as a whole.
“The two parties in the Ethiopian conflict have formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities as well as the systematic, orderly, smooth, and coordinated disarmament,” Obasanjo said at a briefing in Pretoria.
The ex-Nigerian president added that they also agreed on a “restoration of law and order, restoration of services, unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, protection of civilians… among other areas of agreement”.