Alhaji Alhaji: How Obasanjo picked the phone when I called Abacha to sack me

Abubakar Alhaji Alhaji, elder statesman and British-trained scholar, has narrated an encounter he had with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in the days when he was a diplomat in London.

The military regime of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) had transferred him to the UK High Commission from the Finance Ministry, which he headed.When IBB stepped down in August 1993, Alhaji remained in office till General Sani Abacha forcefully removed Ernest Shonekan, who became interim president after IBB left.

Speaking when he featured on Reminiscence, a Trust TV programme, Alhaji said he called Abacha with the intention of asking that he should be relieved of the job, but surprisingly, Obasanjp picked.

“I was there (United Kingdom High COmmission) for six years. And when Abacha took over, he didn’t want me to leave. I called and said he should sack me, but it was Obasanjo that took the phone. I asked what he was doing in Abacha’s office and he said, “You stupid boy, why are you asking me this question?”

Alhjai spoke further on how he left the job when Abacha fell out with his in-laws.

“Abacha fell out with my wife’s father, Ibrahim Dasuki and sent him to Jalingo. My wife is Dasuki’s first daughter. I came home one day and my wife said I could not live in Abacha’s house.”

He further commented on how he became the Sardauna of Sokoto, a position nobody has occupied for almost 50 years.

“The first person to bring me back to Nigeria was Governor Attahiru Bafarawa. He said he wanted me to become economic adviser to Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states. That was how he got me out of London. So I was the economic adviser to the three states. But after a year, I found out that I could not work with him, so I quit.

“I was very busy because I knew Sokoto better. Bafarawa was touring all over the place and I went to every district in Sokoto.”