Obasanjo Cut shot diplomatic trip to attend unveiling of “The Letterman” written by PREMIUM TIMES editor-in-chief

Pleasant surprise and excitement rent the air midway into the unveiling of “The Letterman: Inside the ‘secret’ Letters of former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo,” Thursday afternoon when the former president unexpectedly stormed the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja venue of the event.
Obasanjo and his entourage arrived at the venue while a former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who represented former President Goodluck Jonathan, was reading the speech of the immediate past president who was the special guest of honour.
Upon Obasanjo’s arrival in the crowded Event Centre, Mr Chidoka briefly suspended his presentation to announce the elder statesman’s presence.
The announcement was greeted with a thunderous ovation from the audience as the 85-year-old spritely walked to the high table, and his near-magical appearance electrified the atmosphere in the jam-packed centre.
Mr Obasanjo, who ruled Nigeria in two different epochs, first as an unelected military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and a democratically elected president from1999 to 2007, topped the list of dignitaries that graced the well-attended unveiling event.
In his shot speech, he said: “I did not intend to come. He (Mojeed) did not take my permission. Until last week when he brought me two copies. I did not know that he was writing the book. When I read the book, I was flabbergasted. I was torn between him not telling me and the amount of work he put in.”
Other dignitaries present at the book presentation event included the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Kukah, a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of FCT, Aliyu Modibbo, former governor of Bayelsa State and serving senator, Seriake Dickson, a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, senator representing Osun West, Aderele Oriolowo.
Others were Ifueko Omoigui- Okauru, a former FIRS chairperson, who was the chief presenter of the book, former Senator, Babafemi Ojudu and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru.
Mr Obasanjo, a respected international statesman, is the key subject of the epic book written by PREMIUM TIMES Editor-in-Chief and Chief Operating Officer