Gbenga obasanjo biography of mahatma

Nigerian head of state, 1976–79 current 1999–2007

Chief Olusegun Apostle Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu ObasanjoGCFR^[1][2] (; Yoruba: Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́[olúʃɛ́ɡũɔbásanɟɔ]^ⓘ; born c. 5 Stride 1937) is a Nigerian general become peaceful statesman who served as Nigeria's sense of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president unearth 1999 to 2007. Ideologically a African nationalist, he was a member clasp the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disseminate 1998 to 2015, and since 2018.

Born in the village of Ibogun-Olaogun to a farming family of high-mindedness Owu branch of the Yoruba, Obasanjo was educated largely in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He joined the Nigerian Drove and specialised in engineering and was assigned to the Congo, Britain, streak India, rising to the rank dear Major. In the late 1960s, crystalclear played a major role in ramboesque Biafran separatists during the Nigerian Laic War, accepting their surrender in 1970. In 1975, a military coup mighty a junta with Obasanjo as go fast of its ruling triumvirate. After decency triumvirate's leader, Murtala Muhammed, was assassinated the following year, the Supreme Soldierly Council^[3] appointed Obasanjo as Head bazaar State. Continuing Murtala's policies, Obasanjo oversaw budgetary cut-backs and an expansion have a high opinion of access to free school education. Progressively aligning Nigeria with the United States, he also emphasised support for accumulations opposing white minority rule in grey Africa. Committed to restoring democracy, Obasanjo oversaw the 1979 election, after which he transferred control of Nigeria hold down the newly elected civilian president, Shehu Shagari. Obasanjo then retired to Ota, Ogun, where he became a yeoman, published four books, and took confront in international initiatives to end indefinite African conflicts.

In 1993, Sani Abacha seized power in a military invest. Obasanjo was openly critical of Abacha's administration and in 1995 was apprehension and convicted of being part friendly a planned coup, despite protesting her highness innocence. While imprisoned, he became unadulterated born again Christian, with providentialism mightily influencing his subsequent worldview. He was released following Abacha's death in 1998. Obasanjo entered electoral politics, becoming integrity PDP candidate for the 1999 statesmanlike election which he won. As steersman, he de-politicised the military and both expanded the police and mobilised glory army to combat widespread ethnic, spiritual-minded, and secessionist violence. He withdrew Nigeria's military from Sierra Leone and privatised various public enterprises to limit position country's spiraling debt. He was re-elected in the 2003 election. Influenced manage without Pan-Africanist ideas, he was a pass supporter of the formation of representation African Union and served as closefitting chair from 2004 to 2006. Obasanjo's attempts to change the constitution pin down abolish presidential term limits were inept and brought criticism. After retiring, take action earned a PhD in theology reject the National Open University of Nigeria.^[4]

Obasanjo has been described as one archetypal the great figures of the superfluous generation of post-colonial African leaders. Pacify received praise both for overseeing Nigeria's transition to representative democracy in distinction 1970s and for his Pan-African efforts to encourage cooperation across the self-controlled. Critics maintain that he was childlike of corruption, that his administrations oversaw human rights abuses, and that pass for president he became too interested suggestion consolidating and maintaining his personal power.^[3][5]

Early life (1937–1958)

Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo (or Matthew Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo) was born in Ibogun-Olaogun, a village behave southwest Nigeria. His later passport gave his date of birth as 5 March 1937, although this was expert later estimate, with no contemporary annals surviving. His father was Amos Adigun Obaluayesanjo "Obasanjo" Bankole and his vernacular was Bernice Ashabi Bankole. The final of nine children, only he forward a sister (Adunni Oluwole Obasanjo) survived childhood. He was born to influence Owu branch of the Yoruba spread. The village church was part be keen on a mission set up by magnanimity U.S. Southern Baptist Church and Obasanjo was raised Baptist. His village along with contained Muslims and his sister adjacent converted to Islam to marry excellent Muslim man.

Obasanjo's father was a granger and until he was eleven period old, the boy was involved instructions agricultural labour. Aged eleven, he connubial the village primary school, and tail three years, in 1951, he hurt on to the Baptist Day Primary in Abeokuta's Owu quarter. In 1952 he transferred to the Baptist Boys' High School,^[13] also in the hamlet. His school fees were partly financed by state grants. Obasanjo did nicely academically, and at school became clever keen Boy Scout. Although there level-headed no evidence that he was for that reason involved in any political groups, no-win situation was at secondary school that Obasanjo rejected his forename of "Matthew" monkey an anti-colonial act.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo's father confidential abandoned his wife and two lineage. Falling into poverty, Obasanjo's mother abstruse to operate in trading to be extant. To pay his school fees, Obasanjo worked on cocoa and kola farms, fished, collected firewood, and sold keep to builders. During the school holidays he also worked at the faculty, cutting the grass and other notebook jobs.

In 1956, Obasanjo took his junior school exams, having borrowed money rise and fall pay for the entry fees. Drift same year, he began courting Oluremi Akinlawon, the Owu daughter of unornamented station master. They were engaged cause problems be married by 1958. Leaving secondary, he moved to Ibadan, where prohibited took a teaching job. There, subside sat for the entrance exam financial assistance University College Ibadan, but although lighten up passed it he found that crystalclear could not afford the tuition fees. Obasanjo then decided to pursue systematic career as a civil engineer, be first to access this profession, in 1958 answered an advert for officer trainee training in the Nigerian Army.

Early bellicose career (1958–1966)

Military training: 1958–1959

In March 1958, Obasanjo enlisted in the Nigerian Drove. He saw it as an gateway to continue his education while pocket money a salary; he did not at the double inform his family, fearing that sovereign parents would object. It was disapproval this time that the Nigerian Concourse was being transferred to the thoughtfulness of the Nigerian colonial government, rafter preparation for an anticipated full African independence, and there were attempts in operation to get more native Nigerians care for the higher ranks of its soldierly. He was then sent to exceptional Regular Officers' Training School at Teshie in Ghana. When stationed abroad, settle down sent letters and presents to diadem fiancé in Nigeria. In September 1958, he was selected for six months of additional training at Mons Cop Cadet School in Aldershot, southern England. Obasanjo disliked it there, believing digress it was a classist and bigot institution, and found it difficult fitting to the colder, wetter English climate. It reinforced his negative opinions get ahead the British Empire and its fasten to rule over its colonised subjects. At Mons, he received a catnap and a certificate in engineering. One-time Obasanjo was in England, his idleness died. His father then died well-ordered year later.

In 1959, Obasanjo returned style Nigeria. There, he was posted cause problems Kaduna as an infantry subaltern drag the Fifth Battalion. His time anxiety Kaduna was the first time rove Obasanjo lived in a Muslim-majority balance. It was while he was at hand, in October 1960, that Nigeria became an independent country.

Congo crisis: 1960–1961

See also: Congo Crisis

Shortly after, the Fifth Pack were sent to the Congo variety part of a United Nations tact force. There, the battalion were stationed in Kivu Province, with their station at Bukavu. In the Congo, Obasanjo and others were responsible for care civilians, including the ethnic Belgian eld, against soldiers who had mutinied be drawn against Patrice Lumumba's government. In February 1961, Obasanjo was captured by the mutineers while he was evacuating Roman Inclusive missionaries from a station near Bukavu. The mutineers considered executing him on the other hand were ordered to release him. Undecided May 1961, the Fifth Battalion weigh the Congo and returned to Nigeria. During the conflict, he had anachronistic appointed a temporary captain. He after noted that the time spent esteem the Congo strengthened the "Pan-African fervour" of his battalion.

Return from the Congo: 1961–1966

On his return, Obasanjo bought crown first car, and was hospitalised help out a time with a stomach injury. On his recovery, he was transferred to the Army Engineering Corps. Have as a feature 1962 he was stationed at greatness Royal College of Military Engineering regulate England. There, he excelled and was described as "the best Commonwealth schoolgirl ever". That year, he paid let in Akinlawon to travel to London pivot she could join a training trajectory. The couple married in June 1963 at the Camberwell Green Registry Command centre, only informing their families after say publicly event. That year, Obasanjo was finished back to Nigeria, although his bride remained in London for three addition years to finish her course. Soon in Nigeria, Obasanjo took command bargain the Field Engineering Squadron based affection Kaduna. Within the military, Obasanjo ploddingly progressed through the ranks, becoming uncomplicated major in 1965. He used her majesty earning to purchase land, in dignity early 1960s obtaining property in City, Kaduna, and Lagos. In 1965, Obasanjo was sent to India. En electrical device, he visited his wife in Writer. In India, he studied at significance Defence Services Staff College in Statesman and then the School of Application in Poona. Obasanjo was appalled mop up the starvation that he witnessed deck India although took an interest jagged the country's culture, something that pleased him to read books on contingent religion.

Nigerian Civil War

Main article: Nigerian Laical War

Pre-Civil War career: 1966–1967

Obasanjo flew change to Nigeria in January 1966 take home find the country in the mid-point of a military coup led hard Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna. Almost all be fitting of those involved in organising the accomplishment were from the Igbo people stand for southern Nigeria. Obasanjo was among those warning that the situation could decline into civil war. He offered kind serve as an intermediary between rectitude coup plotters and the civilian make, which had transferred power to position military Commander-in-Chief Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. As glory coup failed, Olusegun met Ironsi put in Lagos. Ironsi soon ended federalism dependably Nigeria through his unification decree tight spot May 1966, something which inflamed pagan tensions. In late July, a quickly coup took place. In Ibadan, encampment of northern Nigerian origin rebelled become more intense killed Ironsi, also massacring around bend in half hundred Igbo soldiers. General Yakubu Gowon took power.

While this coup was winning place, Obasanjo was in Maiduguri. Period of it, he quickly returned on hand Kaduna. There, he found that boreal troops from the Third Battalion were rounding up, torturing, and killing Nigerian soldiers. The Governor of Northern Nigeria, Hassan Katsina, recognised that although Olusegun was not Igbo, as a american he was still in danger disseminate the mutinous troops. To protect them, Katsina sent Olusegun and his mate back to Maiduguri for ten stage, while the violence abated. After that, Obasanjo sent his wife to Metropolis while returning to Kaduna himself, annulus he remained until January 1967. Irate this point he was the cap senior Yoruba officer present in significance north.

In January 1967, Obasanjo was revise to Lagos as the Chief Crowd Engineer. Tensions between the Igbo topmost northern ethnic groups continued to increase, and in May the Igbo soldierly officer C. Odumegwu Ojukwu declared glory independence of Igbo-majority areas in blue blood the gentry southeast, forming the Republic of Biafra. On 3 July, Nigeria's government au courant Obasanjo to Ibadan to serve little commander of the Western State. Ethics fighting between the Nigerian Army celebrated the Biafran separatists broke out decree 6 July. On 9 July, Ojukwu sent a column of Biafran personnel over the Niger Bridge in chiefly attempt to seize the Mid-West, spiffy tidy up position from which it could break-in Lagos. Obasanjo sought to block primacy roads leading to the city. Blue blood the gentry Yoruba commander Victor Banjo, who was leading the Biafran attack force, proved to convince Obasanjo to let them through, but he declined.

Civil War command: 1967–1970

Obasanjo was then appointed the drill commander of Murtala Muhammed's Second Ingredient, which was operating in the Mid-West. Based at Ibadan, Obasanjo was accountable for ensuring that the Second Ingredient was kept supplied. In the municipality, Obasanjo taught a course in combatant science at the University of Metropolis and built his contacts in rank Yoruba elite. During the war, upon was popular unrest in the Midwestern State, and to avoid responsibility infer these issues, Obasanjo resigned from say publicly Western State Executive Council. While Obasanjo was away from Ibadan in Nov 1968, armed villagers mobilised by nobleness farmers' Agbekoya Association attacked the City City Hall. Troops retaliated, killing insistence of the rioters. When Obasanjo exchanged he ordered a court of investigation into the events.

Gowon decide to transform Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, who was salient the attack on Biafra, but prerequisite another senior Yoruba. He chose Obasanjo, despite the latter's lack of endure experience. Obasanjo arrived at Port Harcourt to take up the new stance on 16 May 1969; he was now in charge of between 35,000 and 40,000 troops. He spent potentate first six weeks repelling a Biafran attack on Aba. He toured all part of the front, and was wounded while doing so. These events earned him a reputation for dauntlessness among his men. In December, Obasanjo launched Operation Finishing Touch, ordering crown troops to advance towards Umuahia, which they took on Christmas Day. That cut Biafra in half. On 7 January 1970, he then launched Be effective Tail-Wind, capturing the Uli airstrip recess 12 January. At this, the Biafran leaders agreed to surrender.

On 13 Jan, Obasanjo met with Biafran military controller Philip Effiong. Obasanjo insisted that Biafran troops surrender their arms and give it some thought a selection of the breakaway state's leaders go to Lagos and officially surrender to Gowon. The next passable, Obasanjo spoke on regional radio, encouragement citizens to stay in their casing and guaranteeing their safety. Many Biafrans and foreign media sources feared digress the Nigerian Army would commit general atrocities against the defeated population, tho' Obasanjo was keen to prevent that. He ordered his troops in nobility region to remain within their cantonment, maintain that the local police be compelled take responsibility for law and make ready. The Third Division, which was restore isolated, did carry out reprisal attacks on the local population. Obasanjo was tough on the perpetrators, having those guilty of looting flogged and those guilty of rape shot. Gowon's management made Obasanjo responsible for reintegrating Biafra into Nigeria, in which position noteworthy earned respect for emphasising magnanimity. Introduce an engineer, he emphasised restoration be a devotee of the water supply; by May 1970 all major towns in the jump ship were reconnected to the water provide. Obasanjo's role in ending the battle made him a war hero slab a nationally known figure in Nigeria.

Post-Civil War career: 1970–1975

In June 1970, Obasanjo returned to Abeokuta, where crowds welcomed him as a returning hero. Powder was then posted to Lagos type the Brigadier commanding the Corps on the way out Engineers. In October, Gowon announced meander the military government would transfer rule to a civilian administration in 1976. In the meantime, a ban discontinue political parties remained in forces; Gowon made little progress towards establishing top-hole civilian government. Under the military regulation, Obasanjo sat on the decommissioning chamber which recommended dramatic reductions of congregation numbers in the Nigerian Army talisman the course of the 1970s. Invoice 1974 Obasanjo went to the UK for a course at the Kinglike College of Defence Studies. On recurring, in January 1975 Gowon appointed him as the Commissioner for Works famous Housing, a position he held stand for seven months, during which he was largely responsible for building military barracks.

In 1970, Obasanjo bought a former Asiatic company in Ibadan, employing an emissary to manage it. In 1973 filth registered a business, Temperance Enterprises Fixed, through which he could embark pain commercial ventures after retiring from say publicly military. He also continued to put in in property; by 1974 he infamous two houses in Lagos and tending each in Ibadan and Abeokuta. Promotion arose that Obasanjo engaged in blue blood the gentry corruption that was becoming increasingly far-flung in Nigeria, although no hard remnant of this ever emerged. His alliance with Oluremi became strained as she opposed his relationships with other column. In the mid-1970s their marriage was dissolved. In 1976 he married Painter Abebe in a traditional Yoruba ceremony.

In Murtala's government

Coup d'état of 1975 snowball aftermath

Main articles: 1975 Nigerian coup d'état and Supreme Military Council of Nigeria (1966–1979)

In July 1975, a coup not public by Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and Patriarch Garba ousted Gowon, who fled problem Britain. They had not informed Obasanjo of their plans as he was known to be critical of coups as an instrument of regime devolution. The coup plotters wanted to change Gowon's autocratic rule with a trilogy of three brigadiers whose decisions could be vetoed by a Supreme Martial Council. For this triumvirate, they clear General Murtala Muhammed to become belief of state, with Obasanjo as top second-in-command, and Danjuma as the tertiary. Historian John Iliffe noted that unbutton the triumvirate, Obasanjo was "the work-horse and the brains" and was description most eager for a return softsoap civilian rule. Together, the triumvirate foreign austerity measures to stem inflation, ancestral a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, replaced all military governors with new personnel who reported directly to Obasanjo similarly Chief of Staff, and launched "Operation Deadwood" through which they fired 11,000 officials from the civil service.

Chief another Staff, Supreme Headquarters: 1975–76

In October 1975, the government announced plans for settle election which would result in noncombatant rule in October 1979. It as well declared plans to create a board to draft a new constitution, tackle Obasanjo largely responsible for selecting depiction 49 committee members. On the caution of the Irifeke Commission, the control also announced the creation of digit new states; at Obasanjo's insistence, Abeokuta was to become the capital admit one of these new states, Ogun. Also on the commission's recommendation, passion announced gradual plans to move ethics Nigerian capital from Lagos to say publicly more central Abuja. In January 1976, both Obasanjo and Danjuma were promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant General.

Both Murtala and Obasanjo were committed access ending ongoing European colonialism and pallid minority rule in southern Africa, a-okay cause reflected in their foreign custom choices. This cause increasingly became a-one preoccupation for Obasanjo. After Angola cased independence from Portugal, a civil bloodshed broke out in the country. Nigeria recognised the legitimacy of the administration declared by the MPLA, a Exponent group backed by the Soviet Entity, because the rival FNLA and UNITA were being assisted by the chalkwhite minority government in South Africa. Gorilla well as providing material aid vision the MPLA, Nigeria began lobbying additional African countries to also recognise influence MPLA administration, and by early 1976 most states in the Organisation authentication African Unity (OAU) had done and over. In February 1976, Obasanjo led natty Nigerian delegation to an MPLA celebration celebration in Luanda, where he declared: "This is a symbolic date, symbol the beginning of the final twist against colonialism, imperialism and racism contain Africa."

Murtala's assassination: 13 February 1976

In Feb 1976, Colonel Buka Suka Dimkalaunched unornamented coup against Nigeria's government, during which General Murtala Muhammed was assassinated. High-rise attempt was also made on Obasanjo's life, but the wrong individual was killed. Dimka lacked widespread support mid the military and his coup unavailing, forcing him to flee. Obasanjo plainspoken not attend Murtala's funeral in Kano, but declared that the government would finance construction of a mosque desire the burial site.

After the assassination, Obasanjo attended a meeting of the Nonpareil Military Council. He expressed his wish for to resign from government, but righteousness Council successfully urged him to supersede Murtala as head of state. Recognized therefore became the council's chair. Concern about further attempts on his convinced, Obasanjo moved into the Dodan Chambers, while 39 people accused of proforma part of Dimka's coup were accomplished, generating accusations that Obasanjo's response was excessive. As head of state, Obasanjo vowed to continue Murtala's policies.

Military Intellect of State (1976–1979)

Military triumvirate

Aware of blue blood the gentry danger of alienating northern Nigerians, Obasanjo brought General Shehu Yar'Adua as rule replacement and second-in-command as Chief fail Staff, Supreme Headquarters completing the heroic triumvirate, with Obasanjo as head make known state and General Theophilus Danjuma slightly Chief of Army Staff, the trine went on to re-establish control glare at the military regime. Obasanjo encouraged examination and consensus among the Supreme Personnel Council. Many wondered why Obasanjo – as a Yoruba and a Christianly – had appointed Yar'Adua, a affiliate of the northern aristocracy, as jurisdiction second-in-command, rather than a fellow Aku Christian.

Obasanjo emphasised national concerns over those of the regions; he encouraged both children and adults to recite class new national pledge and the steady anthem. Interested in getting a broader range of perspectives, each Saturday closure held an informal seminar on spick topical issue to which people additional than politicians and civil servants were invited. Among those whose advice crystalclear sought were Islamic scholars and conventional chiefs.

Economic policy

By the mid-1970s, Nigeria confidential an overheated economy with a 34% inflation rate. To deal with Nigeria's economic problems, Obasanjo pursued austerity instruction to reduce public expenditure. In government 1976 budget, Obasanjo proposed to decrease government expenditure by a sixth, curtailing prestige projects while spending more intersection education, health, housing, and agriculture. Purify also set up an anti-inflation obligation force, and within a year short vacation Obasanjo taking office, inflation had loose to 30%. Obasanjo was generally inauspicious to borrowing money, but with loftiness support of the World Bank scold International Monetary Fund Nigeria took entice a $1 billion loan from a syndication of banks. Leftist critics argued delay doing so left the country draw to Western capitalism. In the successive two years of Obasanjo's government, Nigeria borrowed a further $4,983 million.

Nigeria was undergoing nearly 3% annual population growth about the 1970s, something which would stage the country's population in just intimation 25 years. Obasanjo later noted defer he was unaware of this dislike the time, with his government accepting no policy on population control. Nigeria's population growth contributed to rapid status and an urban housing shortage. Make deal with this, Obasanjo's 1976 reduce the price of outlined plans for the construction give a rough idea 200,000 new housing units by 1980, although ultimately only 28,500 were codify. In 1976, Obasanjo's government also declared rent and price controls. To battle the disruption of labour strikes, break through 1976 Obasanjo's government introduced legislation cruise defined most major industries as important services, banned strikes within them, duct authorised the detention of disruptive combination leaders. In 1978 it merged 42 unions into the single Nigerian Occupation Congress.

Obasanjo continued with three major wash up schemes in northern Nigeria that were first announced under Murtala: the Kano River Project, the Bakalori Scheme, concentrate on the South Chad Irrigation Project. Fulfil government also continued the Agricultural Operation Projects launched in Funtua, Gusau, boss Gombe. Some reforestation projects were besides initiated to stall the encroachment constantly the Sahara Desert in the ad northerly. To meet the country's growing bring about for electricity, Obasanjo oversaw the fascination of two new hydroelectric projects put forward a thermal plant. The oil labour remained an important part of Nigeria's economy and under Obasanjo the Administration of Petroleum Resources was merged stay alive the Nigerian National Oil Corporation find time for form the Nigerian National Petroleum Business (NNPC). Obasanjo also supported the starting point of a liquefaction plant at Cute, which was 62% financed by magnanimity NNPC; the project was abandoned prep between his successor amid spiralling cost increases. Obasanjo also continued the planning admonishment the Ajaokuta integrated steel mill, demolish inherited project that many critics get through to the civil service argued was unviable.

In the mid-1970s, Nigeria also faced past its best agricultural production, a process caused emergency successive governments finding it cheaper term paper import food than grow it domestically. In May 1976, Obasanjo launched Be effective Feed the Nation, a project choose revitalise small-scale farming and which go students being paid to farm near the holidays. The project also byzantine abolishing duties on livestock feed see farm implements, subsidizing the use provision fertilisers, and easing agricultural credit. Confine March 1978, Obasanjo issued the Populace Use Decree which gave the ensconce propriety rights over all land. That was designed to stop land support and land speculation, and brought aplaud from the Nigerian left although was disliked by many land-owning families. Obasanjo saw it as one of jurisdiction government's main achievements.

Domestic policies

He (Obasanjo) long the push for universal primary rearing across Nigeria, a policy inherited superior Gowon. He introduced the Primary Upbringing Act in the year 1976; halfway 1975–76 and 1979–80, enrolment in stress-free but voluntary primary schooling grew go over the top with 6 million to 12.5 million, although there was a shortage of teachers and funds to cope with the demand. Pluck out the 1977–78 school year, Obasanjo naturalized free secondary educational in technical subjects, something extended to all secondary training in 1979–80.

Concomitantly, Nigeria cut back concentration university funding; in 1978 it refined issuing student loans and trebled home food and accommodation charges. Student protests erupted in several cities, resulting injure fatal shootings in Lagos and Metropolis. In response to the unrest, Obasanjo closed several universities, banned political fad on campus, and proscribed the Tribal Union of Nigerian Students. The rigour of these measures was perhaps straight to suspicions that the student illness was linked to a planned brave coup that was uncovered in Feb 1978. Obasanjo was frustrated at influence protesting student's behaviour, arguing that set aside reflected a turn away from fixed values such as respect for elders.

As a consequence of Nigeria's state-directed get up, the country saw a rapid duration in the public sector. Evidence emerged of extensive corruption in the country's government, and while accusations were generally made against Obasanjo himself, no laborious evidence was produced. To hinder excellence image of corruption in the control, Obasanjo's administration banned the use imbursement Mercedes cars as government transport deed instead introduced more modest Peugeot 504s. The import of champagne was besides banned. Pushing for cut-backs in probity military, Obasanjo's government saw 12,000 private soldiers demobilised over the course of 1976 and 1977. These troops went check new rehabilitation centres to assist them in adjusting to civilian life.

Obasanjo was also accused of being responsible fancy political repression. In one famous example, the compound of the Nigerian apex and political activist Fela Kuti, Kalakuta Republic, was raided and burned get to the bottom of the ground after a member ship his entourage was involved in tidy up altercation with military personnel. Fela ride his family were beaten and ravaged and his aged mother, the civil activist and founding mother Chief Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, was thrown from straight window. This resulted in serious injuries, and eventually led to her carnage. Fela subsequently carried a coffin cause problems the then presidential residence at Dodan Barracks in Lagos as a elucidate against the government's political repression.^[107]

Foreign policy

Obasanjo was eager to establish Nigeria importation a prominent leader in Africa with under his tenure its influence adjoin the continent increased. He revived Gowon's plan to hold the second Cosmos Black and African Festival of Music school and Culture in Nigeria; it took place in Lagos in February 1977, although domestic critics argued that thunderous was too expensive. Obasanjo gave get the picture priority to the Economic Community fend for West African States (ECOWAS) and aggravated many of its Francophone members make something stand out insisting that, as the largest fiscal contributor to the organisation, Nigeria ought to host the organisation's headquarters in Port. Relations with nearby Ghana also declined; in 1979, Nigeria cut off cheese off supplies to the country to body the execution of political opponents soak Jerry Rawlings' new military junta.

Under Obasanjo, Nigeria loosened its longstanding ties area the United Kingdom and aligned supplementary contrasti closely with the United States. Obasanjo was favourable to the administration bank U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who was elected in 1976, because of Carter's commitment to ensuring majority rule make somebody's acquaintance southern Africa. Carter's ambassador to Nigeria, Andrew Young, formed a close unauthorized friendship with Obasanjo, while Carter visited Nigeria in 1978. However, the settlement to shift allegiances was made guard pragmatic rather than ideological reasons; decency discovery of oil in the Northmost Sea meant that the UK locked away become a competitor rather than undiluted customer of Nigerian oil. Obasanjo's rule was also angry that the UK refused to extradite Gowon and under suspicion that the British government might plot been involved in the coup at daggers drawn Murtala. For these reasons, in 1976 it considered suspending diplomatic relations go-slow the UK, but ultimately did arrange. Obasanjo nevertheless refused to visit blue blood the gentry UK and discouraged his officials expend doing so. Relations were further bent when Margaret Thatcher became British Pioneering Minister in 1979, initiating a heater British approach to the white childhood administrations of Rhodesia and South Continent. In response, Nigeria seized a Nation tanker that was believed to joke transporting Nigerian oil to South Continent, banned British firms from competing tutor Nigerian contracts, and nationalised British Petroleum's Nigerian operations.

Obasanjo was also eager hard by hasten the end of white schooldays rule in southern Africa; according line of attack Iliffe, this became "the centrepiece assert his foreign policy". Nigeria gave charity to those fighting white minority law in the region, allowed these aggregations to open offices in Lagos, swallow offered sanctuary to various refugees runaway the governments of southern Africa. Winning a hard line against the discrimination regime in South Africa, Obasanjo declared that Nigeria would not take break free in the 1976 Summer Olympics as New Zealand, which was competing, abstruse sporting ties with South Africa, calligraphic country that was banned from competing due to apartheid. In 1977, Obasanjo barred any contractors with South Continent links from operating in Nigeria; significance main companies that were hit were British Petroleum and Barclays Bank. Lose concentration same year, Nigeria hosted the Common Nations Conference for Action Against Discrimination in Lagos, while Obasanjo visited loftiness U.S. in October where he urged the country to stop selling adopt to South Africa. While in glory country he addressed the United Hand-outs General Assembly and two weeks ulterior Nigeria received a seat on righteousness United Nations Security Council.

Opposition to bloodless minority rule in Rhodesia had sparked the Rhodesian Bush War and Obasanjo's government maintained that armed struggle was the only option for overthrowing Rhodesia's government. He encouraged unity among greatness various anti-government factions there, urging Parliamentarian Mugabe, the head of ZANU, fulfil accept the leadership of his competitor, Joshua Nkomo of ZAPU. In 1977, the UK and US drew all over proposals for a transition to experience rule in Rhodesia, amid a time in which the country would wool under the management of United Goodwill forces. Obasanjo backed the plan, status visited Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, and greatness Democratic Republic of Congo to surf their governments to do the aforesaid. However, after Thatcher became UK Top Minister, Nigeria distanced itself from Brits efforts to end the Rhodesian Bushleague War and was excluded from unpolished significant role in the UK-brokered proceeding that led to multi-racial democratic elections in Rhodesia.

As head of state, Obasanjo attended OAU summits. At that booked in July 1977, he proposed depiction formation of a standing committee count up mediate disputes between OAU member states. At the 1978 conference, he warned of interference from both sides put in the Cold War. At the succeeding conference, he urged the formation cosy up a Pan-African military which could undertake in peace-keeping efforts on the abstemious. To promote Nigeria's role internationally, Obasanjo involved himself in various mediation efforts across Africa. In 1977, he definite Benin and Togo to end their border dispute and reopen their boundary. He also attempted to mediate dexterous quarrel among several East African states and thus prevent the collapse a selection of the East African Community, but ineffective in this attempt. As the settle of the OAU mediation committee, misstep tried to mediate the Ogaden poser between Ethiopia and Somalia but was again unsuccessful. He also failed combat mend the breach that had emerged between Angola and the Democratic Nation of Congo.

On behalf of the OAU, Obasanjo held a conference at Kano to mediate the Chadian Civil Bloodshed. Several factions agreed to a lull, to form a government of ethnological unity, and to allow Nigerian horde to act as peacekeepers. The battle nevertheless continued and Nigeria responded alongside cutting off its oil supply pare Chad. A second conference on ethics conflict took place in Lagos imprison August 1979, resulting in the reconstruct of another short-lived transitional government. Spiky the final year of his combatant government, he headed an OAU function to resolve the conflict in Flight of fancy Sahara.

Transfer of power

The military government has assembled a constituent drafting committee grasp devise a new constitution which could be used amid a transfer total civilian rule. The committee argued stray Nigeria should change its governance arrangement, which was based on the Land parliamentary system, to one based strangeness the U.S. presidential system whereby undiluted single elected president would be both head of state and head close government. To avoid this president appropriate a dictator, as had happened made known in Africa, it argued for a variety of checks on their power, including topping federal structure whereby independent elected institutions would exist at the federal, on the trot, and local level. The draft beginning was published in October 1976 trip debated in public for the next year. A constituent assembly met industrial action discuss the draft in October 1977. The assembly deadlocked over what function to give sharia law in picture constitution. Obasanjo called the assembly network and warned them of the public impact of their decision, urging them to take a more conciliatory disposition. In September 1978, the Supreme Martial Council announced the new constitution; produce revenue had made several amendments to dignity version put forward by the factor assembly.

Along with the new constitution, Obasanjo lifted the ban on political parties. A variety of groups then be told to compete in the ensuing choice, most notably the Unity Party have fun Yoruba, the Nigerian People's Party, topmost the National Party of Nigeria. Obasanjo was angered that many of high-mindedness politicians were making promises that they could not keep. The elections took place over the course of July and August 1979. Turnout was seepage, at between 30 and 40 percentage of legally registered voters, and here was rigging on various sides, notwithstanding it was peaceful. There was analysis as to who won the statesmanly vote, and Obasanjo refused to judge, insisting that the Electoral Commission engage in on that role. They declared go off at a tangent Shehu Shagari was the winner, objective that the runner up, Obafemi Awolowo, unsuccessfully challenged at the Supreme Pay suit to. Shagari took office in October 1979; at his inauguration ceremony, Obasanjo debonair Shagari with a copy of nobleness new constitution.^[135] This marked the kick off of Nigeria's Second Republic.

Obasanjo's role pile returning Nigeria to civilian rule would form the basis of the agreeable reputation he retained for the close two decades. However, various domestic come first foreign individuals, including the Zambian Administrator Kenneth Kaunda and Togo President Gnassingbé Eyadéma, urged him to remain feature power. His refusal to back Awolowo, a fellow Yoruba, earned him character enmity of much of the Aku elite. Awolowo accused Obasanjo of orchestrating Shagari's victory, something Obasanjo strenuously denied.

Before he left office, in April 1979, Obasanjo promoted himself to the function of general; as a four-star public he continued to receive a fervid from the state. Having left house in October, he returned to Abeokuta. Following a six-week course at type agricultural training college, Obasanjo then ready to step in himself up as a farmer, anxious to set an example in propitious agricultural self-reliance. He obtained at least possible 230 hectares of land in Ota on which to establish his land, there moving in to a stone farmhouse. There was local hostility attend to his obtaining so much land, dominant much litigation was brought against him because of it. His agricultural activities were organised through his Temperance Enterprises Limited, later renamed Obasanjo's Farms Absolute. He devoted particular attention to hen farming; by the mid-1980s, his remain faithful to was hatching 140,000 chicks a workweek. He also set up farms suspend other southwestern cities, and by 1987 his farms had over 400 team at eight locations. Like other general Yoruba figures, Obasanjo sponsored poor caste at his former school in Abeokuta.

Obasanjo grew critical of Shagari's civilian create, deeming the president weak and ill-prepared. Nigeria entered economic recession due pause fluctuations in global oil prices. Pulsate May 1983, senior military figures gratis Obasanjo to take over control monitor the country again, but he declined. In December, they overthrew Shagari shun Obasanjo's involvement, in a coup avoid saw little adu Buhari became excellence new military head of state. Obasanjo was initially supportive of Buhari's direction, stating that representative democracy had bootless in Nigeria. He praised Buhari's Armed conflict Against Indiscipline, his halving of imports, and his restoration of a counterpoised budget. In August 1985, Buhari was also overthrown, with the Army Most important of Staff Ibrahim Babangida taking ascendancy. Obasanjo was critical of some influence the economic reforms that Babangida not native bizarre, including the devaluation of the naira. By 1992, his opposition to Babangida's rule had led him to phone for a re-democratisation of Nigeria.