by Kolapo Olapoju

On Friday, 22 August, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo caused a drama of sorts, when he refused to allow reporters present to figure out his next of kin, while registering for the National Identity Card (NIC).

He arrived the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta, at about mid-noon.

After having his height measured and finger prints taken, it got to the column requiring information about his next of kin, but Obasanjo, who had been giving a verbal response to all the questions of the NIMC officials’ questions, picked a piece of paper, carefully shielded it with his palm, and wrote the name of his next of kin, after which he handed it over to the commission’s personnel.

He then turned to the bemused reporters and cameras and said, “That is the person you will call if I die pem. I have decided to keep my next of kin secret and away from you. If you know it, you will go and publicise it.”

Obasanjo also commented on the importance of the exercise, saying, “It is a document every Nigerian deserves, which is even late in coming. But we thank God that after the initial step in 1979 – more than 30 years ago – we have come back to it and I hope that this step that we are taking now will be sustained and serve the need of all Nigerians.

“It will also help us to maintain a little bit of security. Our Francophone sister countries have had this for many years. When we first made the attempt in 1979, there were people fighting against it; today, because it is a project, nobody is now protesting; I see people now wanting to have it; it is good.”

Kolapo Olapoju