My late wife, Stella, stood by me while in prison. Stella did everything to get me out of prison – Obasanjo
In a flared emotional state, Chief Olusegun Obasano has narrated hos his late wife, Stella Obasanjo, stood by him while in prison and her rugged efforts to ensure he was released.
The Military Head of States and former civilian president stated that there would be no amount of honour or eulogy to represent or quantify his late wife’s effort and contribution towards making him whom he is today.
According to him, he noted that no amount of appreciation and honour given to Stella−dead or alive−would be enough or too much, considering the role she played during his time in prison and ensuring his release and towards ensuring his release from prison.
On Wednesday, this speech was made by the two-term civilian president during inauguration of 250 bed-space Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin, Edo State.
He also commended outgoing Governor of Edo State Godwin Obaseki, on making health of Edo people a priority and his commmitment to ensuring a better Edo after his administration.
He said, “My late wife went everywhere to ensure that I came out of prison alive. She was in Vatican City, France and other parts of the world. I had it all coming out of prison. I have worked in the past with the likes of John Oyegun. He was a fantastic permanent secretary. I reminded him recently of some of the things that he practiced on me and the ones I practiced on him. My Late Wife, Stella, Stood By Me While In Prison – Obasanjo
“We were planning for my wife’s 68th birthday anniversary. We never had that birthday anniversary before she died. It was very painful for me in particular and for all of us in my family.
He added, “So you can appreciate how thankful I am to you for doing this in her honour. I thank the head of government. I thank the members of your government. I thank all the people of Edo State. I had a woman who made tremendous contributions to my achievements in public life.”
Obasanjo, while continuing to speak, paid homage to Governor Obaseki for the remarkable achievements recorded and witnessed by his administration, noting that he started brightly and is about to end better.
“With this hospital you’re assured of first class treatment for any ailment. More grace to the elbows of the governor. With this kind of edifice, I can say that the governor started well and is finishing well.”
Meanwhile, while remarking, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, without mincing words, recounted numerous achievements recorded by his administration, citing the areas of health and infrastructure development in the state.
Indicating that prioritising the well-being of Edo people triggered his administration’s desire to erect a hospital of that calibre and that is why five-star hospital like 250 bed-space Stella Obasanjo Hospital has come to ensure that Edo people’s health is fully catered for.
Obaseki wasted no time to lament of the political witchcrafty and witch-hunting his administration has been experiencing, in this recent period, from the bitter opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), wielding federal might to oust him even while still being the sitting governor of the state.
He cited that workforce across the state have been decelerated because of the distractions posed by the enemy of his government, noting that the signatories to the state account have been kidnapped and taken to Abuja.
Obaseki, in his statement, said, “Like Chief Obasanjo said you don’t know the day you’ll be ill and you’ll need a facility like this. For those of our brothers who go to Abuja to try and frustrate what we’re doing in Edo State, I pray for you and hope that one day, you and your family members won’t need the kind of services that we’re providing here.
“If you do understand I want to advise that as political leaders we should step back and look more towards our people than our small narrow political interest.
“As I look at this hospital I feel that we demand gratitude on the journey we have travelled together. I want to thank my civil servants particularly those in the ministry of health and our consultants. This wouldn’t have been possible if we did it by ourselves.
“We tried it before and we knew what happened. This time around we are smarter and we hired the services of those who know how to design hospitals. Hospitals are designed in a special way, not like hotels.
“It’s not just having a hospital that you don’t know how the cases would come, how the cases would be treated. You can’t walk into Stella Obasanjo hospital if you haven’t been referred from another facility.
“It means you’re not likely to be treated here if you don’t have health insurance. I believe it’s going to be a viable hospital which will provide the kind of quality care we aspire to have, because I have quality people who worked with me in areas of design and execution.
“I want to say that things may look hazy at this moment but we shouldn’t lose hope. We can’t afford to lose hope. Nobody is going to fix Nigeria for us.
“Nobody is going to fix our healthcare system for us. We have to do it ourselves and this hospital which has been named in memory of Stella Obasanjo will be a reference point in that journey.” Obaseki said.
My Late Wife, Stella, Stood By Me While In Prison – Obasanjo
