Braithwaite’s family, Abiola’s aide fault Obasanjo, IBB over remarks

Family of the late Dr Olatunji Braithwaite has criticised the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, over his snide remarks about the late Braithwaite at the book launch of former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida in Abuja last Thursday.

Obasanjo had, during the event, referred to Braithwaite as “such a character’’, which his family considered offensive and an “apparent attempt to tarnish his hard-earned reputation”.

Addressing a world press conference, yesterday, in his Lagos home, the only surviving son of the family, Olumide Braithwaite, declared that, whoever dared to tarnish the late Dr Braitwaite’s name, would have his children and his mass followers to contend with.

“We only fear God, not man. Obasanjo’s ‘bad belle’ charge against Tunji Braithwaite, while asking IBB to ignore possible criticism that would assail his book, is disrespectful.

“We take strong exception to the said comments and hereby join issues with former President Obasanjo, a man renowned for his unbridled penchant for courting trouble.

“Rather than extol noble virtues, ex-President Obasanjo prefers to demean revered personalities like my father with snide remarks.The legacy is already cemented without the need for man-made titles or without the need for self-aggrandisement. And by no means the least, Dr Braithwaite has immense integrity.”

According to him, despite never holding any public office or appointment in his lifetime, his father inspired a generation that cut across ethnic-religious boundaries that included professionals, politicians, activists, philosophers, writers, poets, industrialists and youths, both home and abroad.

The legacy of the military juntas of Nigeria, he said, was nothing to write home about.

“In terms of social justice and equity for its citizens, it is zero, whilst their penchant for corruption, abuse of rule of law and state terrorism and looting of the treasury is 100 per cent.

“There can never be a case of “bad belle” from brave and courageous civilians like the legendary Tunji Braithwaite, who stood up to gun-wielding men in uniform.

“There can never be a case of “bad belle,” where former President Obasanjo is still struggling and battling with indictments of misappropriation of alleged billions of dollars that went missing under his regime for the NEPA project that had further sunk Nigerians into stark darkness till date.”

IN another development, Dr Wale Fasakin, who was the Personal Assistant to the winner of 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, has condemned Babangida over his comment during his book launch.

He described the event as “Nigeria’s newest comedy of errors.”

He told newsmen on the telephone that the apology and admittance by the former junta had just opened a new chapter in the history of June 12 (Hope ’93) struggle.

He said: “General Babangida’s apology will be a useless gesture to the family of Chief MKO Abiola and hundreds of people, who lost their lives in the struggle to actualise June 12.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the good people of Nigeria and the whole world still remember that Babangida lured his good friend Chief MKO Abiola to context the 1993 election that led to his incarceration and death.

“Why has it taken General Babangida this long to open up on the said annulment of June, 1993? He must, as well, put up the courage to tell the whole world what his supposed good friend has done to warrant that kind of treatment. It was stark betrayal of trust.”

He expressed the hope that President Bola Ahamed Tinubu, who was so much involved in the struggle to actualise June 12, would do the justice to the mystery surrounding the death of the late Abiola.