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Why I Ride Keke – Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is no doubt a true soldier who understand the power of humility.
He’s one of the most prominent and notable actors in the Nigeria national life.
Olusegun Obasanjo, then Major General in the Nigerian Army who played a senior role in combating Biafran secessionists during the Nigerian Civil War, and displayed a seemly humility by accepting Biafrans’ surrender in 1970 on the ground of no victor, no vanquished, even when the Nigeria troops were having a bigger advantage against the Biafra soldiers.
Olusegun Obasanjo, who left the military to become a farmer, is the only military head of state in the history of Nigeria that handed over power to civilian Government, Shehu Shagari after the 1979 general election.
His humility possibly earned him the opportunity to be the first Civilian President, a year, after General Sani Abacha, the then Military Head of State died in 1998.
Olusegun Obasanjo humbled himself before God and obviously became a born again Christian when imprisoned by the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha who accused, arrested him and the military court convicted him for being part of a planned coup in 1995.
Though, Olusegun Obasanjo denied involvement in the planned military coup but it was widely believed that his open criticism against Sani Abacha’s regime, right from when the General seized power in 1993, could be the reason for his 30 years prison sentence.
After serving Nigeria as a Civilian President, between 1999 and 2007, Olusegun Obasanjo honorably handed power again to Civilian Government under the leadership of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who died in 2010, almost three years after he was sworn in as President.
Olusegun Obasanjo left the comfort of his exotic cars on Saturday, to ride tricycle, often referred to as Keke, to pick passengers around town in Ogun State.
The news report, as presented by Vanguard newspaper, reads thus:
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, rode a tricycle in demonstration of safety of the means of transportation just as he urged youths to embrace every opportunity with hard work and dedication.
Obasanjo personally rode the tricycle, popularly called Keke from the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), through Kuto under bridge, amidst greetings and jubilation by onlookers along the road.
The onlookers expressed surprise at the former president riding the keke, a reaction Obasanjo said was fuelled by wrongful societal classification of all keke riders as miscreants and the tendency of young people avoiding the virtue of starting small.
The president, along the route, stopped and picked a male passenger to demonstrate that riding in the tricycle is safe, if used properly and for people to learn how to start small and grow their craft.
He said with tricycles and other small scale businesses, youths can be self employed and ultimately, become economically independent.
He said when he recently distributed 85 Keke, given to young people across the nation, he received some feedback that made riding keke look like an inappropriate gift, even as some wondered if that was the best for young people.
Obasanjo said, “There is nothing wrong in young people starting small. The Keke is secure and safe when handled professionally and with discipline.
In fact, you can plan your business the way you wish and earn income that you can deploy to other investments. And if you are able to get a second one, you can give that to someone else. So you become self-employed and you have also employed somebody.
Obasanjo said he had remained committed to the economic empowerment of young people through initiatives that can generate employment. This is how we can increasingly address unemployment in Nigeria.
He said, “I have always have passion for youths, empowerment and employment. When I started establishing farms, do you think I can run the farm alone?
“The people I employed on the farms some of them are as educated as PhD. There are veterinary doctors among them, Agric economist and some people that are well educated. Some of my children that have PhD are still working with me.
“The other time I checked the people that are working with us directly in our various establishments, we have over 5,000 and most of them are youths. I have always had passion for youths because there is no substitute for employment.
Expressing delight at riding in the tricycle personally driven by Obasanjo, the passenger, who simply identified himself as Lamidi, said the day will be memorable in his life.
Apart from his wealth, high level of insecurity across all nook and crannies in Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo is 85 years old, and he rode the Keke as if he was seemly at his early sixties.
Olusegun Obasanjo’s ability to ride tricycle or vehicle at such age with a great stability on steering wheel, the reason may be clearly stated in the following scriptural verses of the Holy Bible:
James 4:10, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Mica 6:8, He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I Will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
James 4:6 (KJV) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Luke 14:11 (KJV) For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Proverbs 22:4 (KJV) By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
