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Repentant wife, Taiwo Obasanjo, ‘publicly’ begs OBJ: I’m genuinely sorry

Published

5 years ago

December 12, 2021

Trends Admin

•Admits: I did a number of things wrong; blames spiritual ignorance

•On behalf of husband, self, apologizes to Yoruba, Nigerians for whatever wrong committed

•Also apologizes to twin brother Kenny Martins

Chief (Mrs.) Taiwo Obasanjo is the wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In this interview, she apologizes to the former President for the problems they encountered in their marriage, saying she would continue to love and adore him as her husband. Waxing spiritual, Mrs. Obasanjo also advocates reconciliation in homes as believes the country would be a better place if the home front was more loving and united.

Addressing her husband directly, she says: “Daddy Olusegun Obasanjo, my great, dearest husband, my secret prayer for you is that you will leave a beautiful, divine legacy behind in your very ripe old age and you will metamorphose into another Nelson Mandela for us, for Africa and humanity”. Excerpts:

What is your relationship with the former President? Have you reconciled?

Yes, I have reconciled with him and I want to use this medium to say the reconciliation is not only because of myself, but also because of other women out there, our daughters, both single and married, who may be reading this, that I am genuinely sorry for all I did wrong in the course of my relationship with my husband.

If I am to speak truthfully, and I want to speak truthfully, I did a number of things wrong. He has his faults and I have my own faults too, but, when I listen to the inner voice of God within me, a woman should not be the boss of her husband. I am the one who left him. He didn’t tell me to go and he didn’t chase me out of the marriage. He is a man I love very much and I will forever love him. He is my first love and I am very proud of him. He is not Mr. Perfect and I am not Mrs. Perfect but I love him and I did a number of things wrong which I am now spiritually conscious of.

I will like to publicly say to him that I am genuinely sorry for all I did wrong. I love him and I will forever love him. I also apologize to anyone I have hurt before and also to my twin brother, Chief Kenny Martins. My twin brother loves me strongly and very protective of me and my children. My twin is a very good man. I also hurt him too and I am deeply sorry. I pray for Daddy OBJ that his latter days will be better and greater than the former.

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God will preserve and protect him and still use him for us. He is a legend. He is in the class of Nelson Mandela. He is a great man. A lot of good is deposited in him, inactive, not publicly put to use and I will even encourage youths to gather themselves – I can even lead some of them if they approach me – to him and get him to talk to government, if not at the federal level, but to state governors. They can use him to reach their governors to implement people-oriented programmes so that we can be more progressive, productive and reduce poverty and lack of employment. I am praying Daddy Obasanjo would also leave an everlasting, beautiful, glorious legacy. At this age, he also would want to do a number of things right. His being alive is not ceremonial or decorative.

It is for a purpose. God gave Moses 120 years and his long years were not superficial or decorative. They were very impactful. In the Bible, Elisha died but even his bones were still oozing out power. They threw a corpse inside his grave and the person came out alive. Daddy OBJ is a compassionate man who wants comfort, as much as he can, for the generality of the people and he is useful even in old age.

Daddy Olusegun Obasanjo, my great, dearest husband, my secret prayer for you is that you will leave a beautiful, divine legacy behind in your very ripe old age and you will metamorphose into another Nelson Mandela for us, for Africa and humanity… meaning that you will have a loving, humble, repentant, unifying and forgiving heart towards all just as Nelson Mandela came out of prison, became a former President with no hatred, no arrogance, no bitterness or vengeance in his heart for anyone. He loved all and forgave all and embraced those who hurt him.

I pray you will become like Nelson Mandela to love, to forgive and unite all warring parties and rebels, both in the Christian and Muslim worlds, all over Africa and the world. And the end of Nelson Mandela was beautiful. I pray you will live longer and healthier. You are my God given love, my God given husband and l want to repeat and shout it out for the whole world to hear…l love you, l love you, l love you till eternity. Forgive and pardon me 100% for all l did wrong in Jesus mighty name.

Submissive wives

It is biblically wrong for a woman to be the boss of her husband, to say that she wants to have her way all the time. A woman should be submissive. A woman should be humble in marriage. A woman should not lord it over her husband. He could wrong you. He might be doing a lot of things wrongly, but that does not give you the moral right to insist on having your way all the time. It is a biblical injunction and even in accordance with our cultures as Africans to be submissive to our husbands.

Yoruba, Nigerians

I also want to say to the Yoruba and entire Nigerians, on behalf of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, I and our children, that we are truly sorry in whichever way he or we have wronged or hurt anyone. I humbly ask for genuine public forgiveness from all on his behalf and his entire family in the name of God Almighty. I am not trying to market him or do PR for him, but he is a man that means well for the people. A number of things have happened in the family. People have read about them and I have also reacted but that is not what God expected from me as a Christian wife. Daddy OBJ means well. He is not a bad person and he can still be useful in this nation.

He is an elder statesman now and I believe God did not keep him alive for the fun of it. He is a material that we can still use to advance the good cause of this nation and Africa. People may react and say he is the genesis of certain challenges or that he did some things wrong, but that is not the way we should look at life. Look at Japan which was deadly, devastatingly hit by America – the Hiroshima and Nagasaki saga. Today, Japan is a friendly, peaceful ally of America. Japanese and their leaders are not hammering on what America did to Japan. They have moved on and Japan has recovered from the ruins of that attack. Nigeria is still open to recover from any pain or wrong that anyone may have afflicted her with. We can still become strong, useful ally of one another despite the past wrongs or hurt we have done to ourselves or to anyone or the nation.

My husband is still alive because God wants him to still do certain things right or even correct some of the wrongs he did in the past. My husband is a man loaded with intelligence. Spiritual, physical, political, industrial, he is a prophet. He is loaded, blessed by God and his intelligence can be put to use if we tap into it because there is nothing like experience. You cannot wish away experience.

Son in politics

I encouraged my son to go into politics. It is not that he did not support us, but I will love to say publicly that it is not good for children to defy their father or mother or to ‘slap’ them in their pursuit in life. My son went to APC against the wish of the father because Daddy OBJ is no more pro-APC. What my son did was a terrible slap. I should have encouraged my son to seek the approval of his biological father first. He was the President of our nation that ruled longest and still living. My son could gain better by being in one accord with the father. I will not advise anyone, any child to go against the wishes of their parents even if not pronounced.

The father has held various positions, became President twice and my son should have sought his blessings. I should have joined in making things right. I should have taken my son to his father for blessings on the issue. They actually get on very well. It is only in the area of politics that he didn’t go the way of the father. He has a good relationship with my son. He lives with him, works for him and the father provides him everything. He bought him cars, pays his staff and he does not lack anything under him.

Prodigal wife

Like the prodigal son in the Bible, I can refer to myself as the ‘prodigal wife’. Yes. It is to God and to Olusegun Obasanjo I belong in Jesus mighty name, not to any other man and I am very proud of him. I am a complete woman. I am happy that I am alive today to give thanks to God and to reconcile with him because if I was long gone, I would have ended in hell. I will encourage all our women, our wives not to hold on to the pains, grudges, bitterness or whatever anyone has done to them. Let us bring our families together. The healing and the unity will also affect the nation.

Home front

The nation is seriously divided with so much hateful feelings and that is why we have all these agitations, but I believe the home front should be addressed first. Reconcile with your family. I pray God will give us that big heart to let go of all hateful feelings and bitterness and it should start from the home. I have no grudge with anyone and I am not ashamed to publicly apologize to my husband. He is my forever husband and it is till death do us part. I cannot rigidly hold on to the perceived misgivings I have against him. This healing process from the home can also affect the nation. The solution to so many challenges in life does not come from the multitude but from one man destined by God. Daddy OBJ is a solution provider. This is not the time to start trading blames. We should stop blaming IBB, Abdulsalami, Jonathan or OBJ. We have got to move forward.

Not deliberate

I didn’t deliberately go out to hurt Daddy OBJ or to bring estrangement into the marriage. It was done at a period of spiritual ignorance. This is the time for us all to unite. Let us not block the progress of one another. I believe charity should begin from home. It is time we should think of how we can help the nation to be productive and stop hammering on the past misdeeds of some leaders. That will not fetch us any progress. There is nothing to be gained from that.

Are there specific wrongs that if you had your way, you would wish to change?

There are certain things that happened and for the fact that they happened, I believe they were not without the knowledge of God. I don’t want to say I wish I had done this or that. In fact, I will say I am thankful to God for all the errors, for all the problems and for all the mistakes. The reason is there are many mistakes we make that they are meant to turn our mess to a message. They are meant to turn our pains to gains for God. I am thankful for the errors, for all that happened because I have learned from them and I have evolved. I am a better version of myself now.

Many people like to pontificate but experience is better than what is called theory. If the errors had not occurred and if I am not alive today, I am sure I would have ended in hell because all that happened, God has used it to refine me, to preserve my life and to make me a better person. Going back into the marriage, I will not repeat the errors again. He is also an elder and there are a number of things he also will not be doing consciously wrong again, because many things we did wrong were unconsciously done and we may think it is okay, whereas they are not okay with God and man. The negativity in me, God has excised them, like when you do a surgical operation on somebody. It is from those errors that God used to let me know about some fundamental truths in life, on marriage and people. I am a woman that is too much of a perfectionist.

I am a woman that is too impatient and intolerant. I have learned patience and tolerance with the diverse characters God has made and I am bound to relate with them. God’s message is love and, as a Christian, John 3:16 is my favourite verse in the Bible. It says “For God so loved the world that He gave out of His son for all…” It didn’t say God was so domineering or dictatorial or hateful. Out of love, God sacrificed Himself for us. He knows that there are so many errors in us and so He gave us His Son which means there is sacrifice with love to be made on our own part, in our marriage and public life, the true meaning of Jesus Christ is simply- the pure, practical demonstration of the love of God in human flesh for all, love is sacrifice not seeking for faults but helping to make better and neutralize the faults for the best in us to prevail for the good of all in true submission to God Almighty.

Lonely road

Looking back, I would have loved him the more. I would have stood by him and be more protective of him because leadership is a lonely road and you need someone who loves you for who you are, who you can flow with without fear. The bond between me and him is a good one. He loves me, loves my family and I love him too.

But I didn’t reciprocate his love the way I should have done, the way God wants me to. In our lives, we are all mission people, whether at the lower, middle or upper level and many of us are not aware of our mission but something will come and ignite or spur you on to your mission. Samuel was deposited in the life of Eli for a purpose. It wasn’t him who said he wanted to be Judge over Israel. King David was in the bush, just like the herdsmen that we have today in the forest, tending to his father’s sheep. The family probably didn’t think much of David but God saw the good in him when there was nobody there. The number of good things that Daddy OBJ has done is not open to many people. I am not saying he has not hurt some people or wronged them but we should focus on the future.

Are you saying Obasanjo is a man misunderstood by a lot of people?

Yes and I will tell you why. Like I said, I also at one time misunderstood him in the course of our relationship. He is not a bad person. He sacrifices a lot. Let me give you an example. When he came out of Dodan Barracks, he established Operation Feed the Nation which metamorphosed into Obasanjo Farms. He could have gone into building grandiose projects but what he did was to look at how he could get the people to feed themselves.

In Yoruba we say once food is out of your poverty, your problems are half solved. He has established a lot of projects, not to benefit him or bring immediate large revenue margin. For example, he established a factory. I think Starch and Glucose factory at that time. He went to buy machines and instead of buying automatic as he was encouraged by some people, he decided to go for manual.

He said with the manual machines, he could employ more hands and provide source of income for a lot of people unlike automatic machines that would deprive them of such opportunities in that factory. He was never after the profit he was going to make. How many people go into any project just to employ people and make sure they have income? If he was a bad man, he wouldn’t do that.

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Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

Published

10 hours ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

Head of Service describes initiative as ‘parting gift’ as first batch of 37 buses commissioned in Abuja.

The Federal Government has inaugurated 100 Renewed Hope Mass Transit electric buses to provide safer, more affordable, and reliable transportation for federal civil servants nationwide. The initiative, approved by the Federal Executive Council, aims to ease the financial burden of daily commuting and improve worker productivity. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, disclosed this at the commissioning of the first batch of 37 buses at Eagle Square, Abuja, on Wednesday. Walson-Jack, whose tenure ends on Thursday, described the inauguration as a “dream come true” and her “parting gift” to the federal civil service.

The buses were acquired through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund and are part of the administration’s efforts to translate its policies into practical interventions that directly impact the lives of Nigerians. The Head of Service said she could not have asked for a more fitting way to end her tenure than to hand over an initiative that would continue benefiting civil servants long after her departure. She stated that the commissioning was providentially her parting gift to her dearly beloved federal civil servants, as in a little under 24 hours, her time as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation comes to an end. She added that she could not have asked for a more fitting note on which to close this chapter of service than receiving and handing over the keys to something that will keep moving, keep working, long after she has gone home. The remaining 63 buses are expected to be delivered by December 2026. Each bus can accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.

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Walson-Jack emphasised that transportation goes beyond moving people from one location to another, noting that the daily commute directly affects workers’ finances, safety, punctuality, and productivity. She described the intervention as both a welfare measure and an investment in a more productive civil service. She explained that for many civil servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality and ultimately their productivity. She noted that an intervention that makes transportation safer, more reliable and more affordable is therefore not a peripheral welfare gesture; it is an investment in a more productive civil service. According to her, the buses would ease the financial burden on workers and reduce the risks associated with daily commuting. The initiative demonstrates that the Renewed Hope Agenda is being translated into practical interventions that workers can directly experience. Walson-Jack linked the mass transit programme to other Federal Government interventions, including the upward review of the national minimum wage, wage awards following the removal of fuel subsidy, digitalisation of government services, improved pension administration, promotions, employee compensation, and health insurance.

The HCSF disclosed that operations would commence with a pilot phase on selected routes before the full rollout of the Federal Civil Service Renewed Hope Mass Transit programme. She added that the buses would also be deployed, where appropriate, to federal secretariats across the states. A special purpose vehicle has been established to manage the operations, maintenance, and long-term sustainability of the buses, ensuring transparent and sustainable operational frameworks with clearly defined routes, schedules, regular maintenance, qualified drivers, passenger safety, cleanliness, and effective monitoring.

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Walson-Jack urged civil servants to protect the buses as public assets, describing them as valuable assets provided for their benefit. She told the civil servants that they are theirs to use, but also theirs to protect, urging beneficiaries to reciprocate the government’s investment through improved punctuality and commitment to duty. She advised them to treat these buses as their own personal assets.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, described the commissioning as a significant milestone in the federal government’s efforts to improve civil servants’ welfare. He noted that the deployment of the electric buses would help ease transportation challenges while supporting the government’s broader sustainability and development objectives. Enoh also described the initiative as an opportunity to promote local content, develop Nigerian talent, and encourage the production of goods and services capable of competing with the best globally. The buses were assembled locally, aligning with the government’s “Nigeria First” industrial policy and its ambition to build domestic manufacturing capacity. The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Joseph Osanipin, and his team were commended for their collaboration in ensuring that the buses were developed in line with the objectives of the national automotive policy. The HCSF also endorsed a proposal that the Federal Civil Service anthem should be played on the buses, saying it would reinforce the identity and pride of civil servants and help them connect with the Service during their daily journeys.

Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

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Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

Published

10 hours ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

Ikeja Electric Plc has announced a maintenance exercise at its Oworonshoki Injection Substation in Lagos, warning residents and businesses in affected communities to expect temporary power interruptions during the work.

The electricity distribution company said the maintenance involves the replacement of panels at its 3 x 15 MVA Oworonshoki Injection Substation and is scheduled to run from August 24 to September 3, 2026.

According to Ikeja Electric, the exercise is necessary to strengthen its distribution infrastructure and improve the stability and reliability of electricity supply to customers connected to the network.

The company said several 11kV feeders linked to the Oworonshoki substation would be affected during the maintenance period, potentially resulting in interruptions for customers supplied through the affected lines.

The feeders listed by the electricity distribution company are 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Bariga, 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Hospital, 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Ifako, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Ladilac, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Oworo, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Pedro, 11-OworonJNJ-T3-Anthony, 11-OworonJNJ-T3-Gbagada and 11-OworonJNJ-T3-GTB.

Customers and businesses connected to these feeders may experience electricity supply disruptions at different times while the maintenance work is being carried out.

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Ikeja Electric apologised for the inconvenience the exercise may cause and appealed to affected customers to be patient and understanding throughout the maintenance period.

The company said the intervention forms part of its broader efforts to upgrade electricity distribution infrastructure, improve network performance and provide a more dependable power supply to customers across its coverage area.

The maintenance is expected to be completed on September 3, after which electricity supply to the affected areas is expected to return to normal, subject to the operational condition of the network.

Ikeja Electric also urged residents and other stakeholders to help protect electricity infrastructure by remaining vigilant and reporting activities that could expose distribution facilities to vandalism or damage.

The company thanked its customers for their cooperation and continued support as it carries out the infrastructure work.

Residents in the affected areas are advised to plan accordingly during the maintenance period, particularly households and businesses that depend heavily on electricity for daily activities.

Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

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BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue of Niger Mosque Abduction Victims

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue of Niger Mosque Abduction Victims

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and all relevant security and intelligence agencies to intensify efforts to immediately rescue victims of the Niger mosque abduction. The directive was disclosed in a State House statement on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu expressed outrage over the abduction and killing of innocent citizens by criminal elements in the state.

Tinubu described those responsible for the attack as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” and vowed that they would not go unpunished. “Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free,” the President said. The President extended his condolences to the families of those killed in the assault. “I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who were killed in this barbaric assault and pray that Almighty God grant them eternal rest, and grant their loved ones the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” he said. He assured the affected communities of the nation’s support: “You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you.”

The President has directed the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular briefings on the progress of the rescue operation until all those abducted are accounted for. “Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” Tinubu affirmed. The Federal Government has pledged to support the Niger State Government with all necessary resources for recovery, relief, and security reinforcement.

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The attack occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026, when suspected terrorists invaded a mosque in Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village, Dekara District, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The gunmen reportedly stormed the mosque at about 2 p.m. during Juma’at prayers and immediately began taking worshippers away. Children, women, and elderly residents were among those reportedly taken, while some villagers fled into a nearby forest to escape the attackers. Among those reportedly taken were the village head of Ka’ada, who had recently regained freedom from captivity, and the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara. An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were hundreds of women, children, and older people abducted during the attack. The footage shows children crying while an armed man speaking Hausa addresses the families of those being held and asks them to identify their relatives. If confirmed, it would rank among Nigeria’s largest mass kidnappings in recent years.

The Niger State Government has acknowledged that the number of persons abducted is still being verified. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nuhu Nana, the government urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports or casualty figures that could heighten anxiety or compromise ongoing security efforts. The Chairman of Borgu LGA, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, confirmed that about 30 of those abducted had been killed by their captors, adding that “from the records I have, those kidnapped were a little above 60.” Residents, however, have given higher estimates, with some estimating between 60 and 80 people were kidnapped, while others suggested as many as 600 may have been taken.

Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to act urgently to secure the victims’ release and address the growing wave of abductions targeting rural communities across northern Nigeria. The organisation described the incident as particularly concerning because the victims were abducted while observing Friday prayers. Amnesty said at least 1,100 people were abducted between January and April 2026, while noting that available figures vary and may significantly underestimate the actual scale of the problem. The organisation warned that victims of previous mass abductions had reported severe abuses, including torture, starvation, sexual violence and amputation.

Niger State has experienced repeated violent attacks in recent years, including banditry and kidnapping, as Nigeria continues to battle terrorism, abduction, and other security challenges across its northern and central regions. The Borgu-Kainji corridor has become a hotspot for armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park. Residents have reported that seven out of ten wards in Borgu LGA are currently affected by insecurity, with hundreds of people, mostly farmers, displaced and dozens killed in recent months. Over 300,000 people are estimated to be displaced in the area. The Kpenya attack occurred barely a week after gunmen killed at least 32 people during Friday prayers at a mosque in Ungushi community, Sokoto State, including the mosque’s imam. Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools, and highways.