Former President Olusegun Obasanjo shares how Stella Obasanjo, his late wife, went to great lengths to secure his release from prison. Learn about their powerful story and her unwavering support.
On Wednesday, former president Olusegun Obasanjo shared how his late wife, Stella Obasanjo, approached numerous world leaders in her efforts to secure his release from prison.
remembers that on March 17, 1995, Obasanjo was arrested by the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha and convicted for allegedly being involved in a planned coup to overthrow the government.
Obasanjo, who was elected as a civilian president in 1999, spoke at the commissioning ceremony of the rebuilt and expanded Stella Obasanjo Hospital with 250 beds. The event took place in Benin City and was organized by the Edo State Government.
The hospital was built and named in honor of Nigeria’s first lady by Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.
The former president, speaking as a guest speaker, stated that his wife did everything humanly possible to secure his release from prison.
He said, “While I was in prison, that woman exhausted every effort to secure my release. She traveled across the globe—visiting Japan, all of Europe, the Vatican, Latin America—and journeyed through Africa. Her relentless pursuit and the prayers of many were answered by God when I finally came out of prison alive.”
What was I supposed to do? After getting out of prison, I felt like I’d experienced everything. When we were planning my wife’s 60th birthday celebration, she passed away before it ever happened.
It was deeply painful for me specifically and for everyone in my family. I truly appreciate your efforts to do this in her honor.
“I am grateful to the people of Edo State for having a woman who significantly contributed to my government’s successes.”
Obasanjo described his late wife as a remarkable woman who significantly contributed to the successes of his administration.
He asserted that the late Stella deserved every honor both during her life and after her passing.
The former president urged political office holders to focus on developing human capital for their citizens, emphasizing that a government cannot be considered successful without this effort.
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He stated that ensuring food and nutrition security is a significant aspect of human capital development.
He pointed out that without food, citizens wouldn’t be healthy enough to benefit from the infrastructure development.
No matter what responsibilities we hold as chief executives, whether it’s at the national, state, or local government level, prioritizing human capital development is absolutely crucial.
I will focus on three key aspects of human capital development. The first is ensuring food and nutrition security, as it’s difficult to accomplish anything on an empty stomach.
The second aspect, naturally, is health, and food and nutrition security play a crucial role in this. It’s often said that health is wealth. A healthy population leads to a prosperous nation because if you are no longer living, you’re not part of the healthy populace anymore.
“And, I boldly assert that health is paramount. To live and accomplish other pursuits, maintaining good health is essential. Lastly, education holds significant importance as well,” he added.
Obasanjo praised Governor Godwin Obaseki for rejuvenating the hospital, noting that it has evolved from its origins as Mother and Child Hospital into a specialist facility equipped with cutting-edge technology.
In her speech prior to the hospital’s commissioning, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan expressed gratitude to Governor Obaseki and his administration for honoring the memory of the late Stella Obasanjo. She praised their efforts in reconstructing and upgrading a facility that will benefit not only Edo State residents but also people from across the nation.
Governor Obaseki mentioned that the decision to upgrade the hospital to a world-class facility was influenced by its use as an isolation center for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Obaseki stated that during this time, the hospital transformed into an essential 300-bed isolation center, complemented by a supplementary 20-bed emergency isolation unit.
He stated that the hospital is furnished with cutting-edge modern medical facilities capable of treating any ailments.
