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It is nary longer quality that erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo was successful Bauchi past Wednesday to committee the International Conference Centre (ICC), a landmark edifice built nether the visionary enactment of Governor Bala Mohammed.
Given Obasanjo’s famously packed itinerary, 1 mightiness inquire successful Nigerian parlance, “Obasanjo nary dey taya?” At 88, galore would expect the elder statesman to beryllium enjoying a quiescent retirement. Yet, his boundless vigor continues to defy property and expectation.
At the ICC commissioning, Obasanjo stunned guests by hopping connected the spot to beryllium his vitality. This wasn’t an isolated display. Just past June, astatine the day reception for erstwhile Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Obasanjo leapt from the raised podium of the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel—an enactment that near attendees successful awe. Sadly, nary photojournalist captured what could person been the representation of the year.
These anecdotes underscore wherefore Obasanjo remains a towering fig successful Nigeria’s governmental landscape. His beingness astatine the ICC unveiling was not conscionable ceremonial—it was symbolic. It coincided with the First Bauchi State International Economic and Investment Summit, held astatine the aforesaid venue from October 8–9, 2025.
The timing was apt, the symbolism profound.
Obasanjo: Father of the Nation
Whether admired oregon criticized, Obasanjo stands retired arsenic 1 of Nigeria’s astir consequential leaders. While calling him Nigeria’s top person whitethorn spark debate, the Vice President’s statement of him arsenic the “Father of the Nation” captures the essence of his legacy.
Bala Mohammed: A Kindred Spirit
Governor Bala Mohammed’s predominant consultations with the Abeokuta sage bespeak much than governmental courtesy—they uncover a heavy ideological alignment. Bala Mohammed shares with Obasanjo a nationalist fervour, a tireless enactment ethic, and a committedness to meritocracy implicit tribalism.
Shared Traits of Leadership
Here are the striking similarities that hindrance these 2 patriots:
Unyielding Patriotism
Both men are driven by an unwavering committedness to the Nigeria project. Their patriotism is not theatrical—it is profoundly rooted successful action. Two examples crossed clip and abstraction volition exemplify the point: Obasanjo erstwhile called Aliko Dangote astatine 5 a.m. to situation his penchant for importation implicit section manufacturing. That speech catalysed Dangote’s pivot to industrialization.
Similarly, Bala Mohammed is known for receiving calls astatine 2 a.m. from stakeholders, ever acceptable to prosecute successful matters of development. At the economical and concern summit, the Group Chairman of Resident Cement Company Limited, Dr. Abbas Waziri Junaid whose steadfast is gathering a multi-billion naira cement institution successful Bauchi State narrated however helium would telephone Governor Bala Mohammed astatine 2 americium to sermon the investment. Thus began a travel whose multiplier effect connected the system of Bauchi State, albeit Nigeria, is bound to beryllium far-reaching. At the conscionable concluded planetary economical and concern summit, the Bauchi State Government and Resident Cement signed an MOU for the second to found a $1.5 cardinal 10-ton cement mill successful the state. Under the MOU, Resident Cement would conception a h2o dam, a 100 megawatt energy plant, a trailer park, lodging units and different societal amenities.
Detribalized Visionaries
Obasanjo’s prime to prosecute Dangote, a Fulani from Kano, and Bala Mohammed’s assignment of Reuben Okoya, an Ijaw from Bayelsa whose company, Architectronix Limited designed, built and furnished the iconic Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, bespeak their shared content successful competence implicit ethnicity. Both men person consistently built divers teams, valuing ideas and capableness supra primordial loyalties. In caller months, contempt his well-known statesmanlike ambition, Bala Mohammed has unequivocally promoted the thought that the presidency should stay successful the southbound successful 2027, a presumption that has ruffled immoderate feathers conscionable arsenic his Doctrine of Necessity question successful 2010 astir terminated his governmental career.
Merit Over Sentiment
Obasanjo’s furniture was a mosaic of technocrats from elite planetary institutions. In caller times, his enactment for Peter Obi’s statesmanlike bid was rooted successful capacity, not sentiment. Bala Mohammed mirrored this ethos successful 2010 erstwhile helium championed the Doctrine of Necessity, enabling Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to presume the presidency amidst law uncertainty.
Relentless Drive
Their “I-can-do-it” tone is legendary. Obasanjo’s subject precision successful monitoring projects—such arsenic deploying informants to way advancement astatine Dangote Cement—is mirrored by Bala Mohammed’s hands-on governance. The politician often dispatches apical aides to task sites successful the mediate of the ...
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