Kashamu: You Can Say What You Like After My Death, Obasanjo Replies Critics

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has replied critics of his comments after Buruji Kashamu, a former senator, died on Saturday.

Obasanjo was bashed on social media after saying despite Kashamu’s escape from justice over alleged criminal activities in and outside Nigeria, he could not escape death.

One of his major critics is Ayo Fayose, a former Ekiti State governor, who said it was painful Obasanjo could say such after the revered Ogun politician’s death.

Fayose went ahead to say Nigerians are waiting for Obasanjo’s end.

“Can Obasanjo say in good conscience that he did not at some point collaborated with Kashamu and most of the things he (Kashamu) did politically were not with his collaboration?

“Nigerians will watch out for Obasanjo’s own end. He should stop forming saint because he is not. He should also remember that his own end will come too and nobody knows how the end will be,” Fayose tweeted.

However, Obasanjo, in a chat with Premium Times, said people can say whatever they like when he dies, adding that he only highlighted lessons to be learnt from Kashamu’s death.

“When I was growing up, in our community, when anyone known with bad character died, we usually only mourn him and bury him. No eulogy. No praise-singing.

“There is an English saying that urges us never to talk ill of the dead. But in this case, we are not talking ill of the dead. We are only drawing lessons from the life and history of the dead. I am not gloating over his death. It is sad for anyone to die and we must mourn him.

“But we must learn from such a passage. There will be bad lessons. There will be good lessons. But we should not just be praise-singing or eulogising the dead, especially when there is no need to do so.

“We should not cover up bad histories and conducts so that the right lessons can be learnt,” he said.

“As you know, I say my mind as truthfully as I know them and in line with my convictions. People are free to say whatever they want about my comment. I don’t begrudge people for holding opinions on whatever I say or do.

“Let people say whatever they like when I transit. Now that I am alive, am I not being abused? Whenever I transit, let people say whatever they know or think about me. Let them say it as it is. What my maker thinks of me is what matters most”

Kashamu died after complications from COVID-19 on Saturday. He was on Sunday buried in his hometown, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.