Tinubu Shuns Christmas Carols As Obasanjo Returns To Aso Rock Villa
Olusegun Obasanjo, the Nigerian president was at the presidential seat of power in Abuja, on Friday, his first Aso Rock trip since President Bola Tinubu was sworn into office.
Obasanjo, a major critic of the Tinubu’s administration, has stayed away from the Presidential Villa even when invited for crucial events like the Council of State meetings.
On Friday, the Nigerian former leader was one of the guests at the Presidential Villa when First Lady Oluremi Tinubu hosted the 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, themed “Emmanuel: God With Us.”
According to a statement issued by the First Lady’s media office, Obasanjo read the Second Lesson from Genesis 22:15-18, emphasising God’s covenant of blessing through obedience.
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who was also a guest, read the First Lesson from Genesis 3:8-12, recounting humanity’s early encounter with divine accountability.
The host read the Ninth Lesson from John 1:1-14, affirming the Word made flesh dwelling among us. The congregation rose for the resounding Hymn: O Come, All Ye Faithful.
President Tinubu was notably absent from the programme though Presidency sources claimed he didn’t shun the former leaders but it was because it was a religious event.
Naija News House on November 28 reported that Obasanjo criticised Tinubu’s administration, declaring that Nigerians have the right to seek help from the international community since the government has failed in its primary duty of protecting citizens.
Obasanjo spoke in Jos, Plateau State, during a public programme, where he lamented the worsening killings across the country and the government’s inability to respond effectively.
According to him, no Nigerian should be left to die because of their tribe, religion, or region, yet the government continues to offer excuses while innocent people are being slaughtered.
“No matter what religion you belong to, no matter where you come from, no matter what profession, we Nigerians are being killed and our governments seem to be incapable of protecting us. We are part of the world community. If our government cannot do it, we have right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do for us,” he had said.
The former president had dismissed claims that the crisis is limited to certain regions or groups, insisting that every life lost is a national tragedy.
“And for anybody to say because those who are being killed belong to this region, belong to this religion, belong to this tribe, and then others too are being killed, cannot be an acceptable excuse.”
Obasanjo also revealed that during his administration, security agencies had the capacity to track and locate criminals anywhere in the country, but lacked the technology to neutralise them without moving troops by land or air.
“Before I left government, I know we had capacity to pick up anybody in Nigeria who committed crime anywhere. The capacity that we didn’t have then is after we have identified and located such a criminal, we have no capacity to be able to pick him up without moving on land or by air.”
He said Nigeria now possesses drone technology capable of taking out identified terrorists remotely, yet the government chooses negotiation and apologies instead of decisive action.
“Now we have capacity with drones. You can take them out. Why are we not doing that? Why are we apologising? Why are we negotiating?” he asked.
