Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has escaped death atleast 12 times in his 78 years on earth. See excerpts from his narration in his new bok, My Watch below:
“Being one of two of my mother’s surviving children (out of
seven), I must have had the grace of God to cross the hurdle of infant
mortality. The other five never lived up to age one. The vicissitudes of rural
life and limited resources did not guarantee survival for children born in my
time and in the place I was born. Growing up in the village I was bitten by a
scorpion once, and I survived it. The local herb and concoction applied by the
native doctor worked in my case. I heard later that it did not work in some
other cases.Obasanjo-launches-book.
seven), I must have had the grace of God to cross the hurdle of infant
mortality. The other five never lived up to age one. The vicissitudes of rural
life and limited resources did not guarantee survival for children born in my
time and in the place I was born. Growing up in the village I was bitten by a
scorpion once, and I survived it. The local herb and concoction applied by the
native doctor worked in my case. I heard later that it did not work in some
other cases.Obasanjo-launches-book.
“When I was in primary school in Abeokuta, I went to the
Ogun River to try to swim. My friend and classmate who went with me urged me to
dive with him into the water; I asked him to go in first and I would follow. He
dived in and hit his head against a rock, and he never survived. My mother
pulled my ear and warned me never to go to the river for swimming again. That
marked the end of my attempt to learn swimming.
Ogun River to try to swim. My friend and classmate who went with me urged me to
dive with him into the water; I asked him to go in first and I would follow. He
dived in and hit his head against a rock, and he never survived. My mother
pulled my ear and warned me never to go to the river for swimming again. That
marked the end of my attempt to learn swimming.
“When I was attached to the Welsh Guards in Pirbright, I had
an accident while learning to drive. It could have been fatal for me and and
for the oncoming motorcyclist, but we both survived. On returning to Nigeria, I
had another accident in which the military vehicle I was driving without proper
authority was a write-off. I survived with a fractured hand. As a young officer
on a UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Congo Leopoldville, now Democratic Republic
of Congo, I had an encounter with Congolese soldiers that could have been
fatal.
an accident while learning to drive. It could have been fatal for me and and
for the oncoming motorcyclist, but we both survived. On returning to Nigeria, I
had another accident in which the military vehicle I was driving without proper
authority was a write-off. I survived with a fractured hand. As a young officer
on a UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Congo Leopoldville, now Democratic Republic
of Congo, I had an encounter with Congolese soldiers that could have been
fatal.
“I returned home from the Congo and was posted to the
Nigerian Army Engineers, where I had to learn to ride a motorcycle for
reconnaissance purposes. I took a motorcycle ride out alone on training and had
a nasty accident where, again, the motorcycle was damaged beyond repair, and I
was saved by wearing a steel helmet. The story of my escaping death by the skin
of my teeth during the civil war when four of my bodyguards died on the spot
has been told elsewhere.
Nigerian Army Engineers, where I had to learn to ride a motorcycle for
reconnaissance purposes. I took a motorcycle ride out alone on training and had
a nasty accident where, again, the motorcycle was damaged beyond repair, and I
was saved by wearing a steel helmet. The story of my escaping death by the skin
of my teeth during the civil war when four of my bodyguards died on the spot
has been told elsewhere.
“When I left public office as a military head of state, I
was appointed Distinguished Fellow of the University of Ibadan in the Institute
of African Studies. I was given a house to stay in when I had work in the
university. On one occasion, I was to give a lecture and to spend the night
there; but curiously, I decided to inspect the whole building and the compound.
I found, to everybody’s surprise, a neat hole cut through the glass window; and
on the mosquito wire netting on the window was a hole close to the head of the
bead, just big enough to accommodate the muzzle of a pistol. I never slept in
that house again. The whole university community, and Professor Tekena Tamuno
as the vice-chancellor, was alarmed.
was appointed Distinguished Fellow of the University of Ibadan in the Institute
of African Studies. I was given a house to stay in when I had work in the
university. On one occasion, I was to give a lecture and to spend the night
there; but curiously, I decided to inspect the whole building and the compound.
I found, to everybody’s surprise, a neat hole cut through the glass window; and
on the mosquito wire netting on the window was a hole close to the head of the
bead, just big enough to accommodate the muzzle of a pistol. I never slept in
that house again. The whole university community, and Professor Tekena Tamuno
as the vice-chancellor, was alarmed.
“On my way from Abeokuta to Ogbomosho to attend the graduation
ceremony of pastor Bolarinwa, who I sponsored to Baptist Theological Seminary,
I was waylaid by armed robbers. They cut in front of my car to stop it, got out
and shot into the air, and entered their car and drove off. Calmly, I got out
of the car with my driver and other passengers. I came to understand that if
they had known that I had been the one in the car, they would not have zeroed
in on that car, or they would have killed me to avoid getting arrested. I also
understood that the police followed them to a logical conclusion. In addition,
I have heard all sorts of fetish stories about how people tried or were trying
to kill me and how I escaped through supernatural powers. I neither believe in
nor practice anything fetish.
ceremony of pastor Bolarinwa, who I sponsored to Baptist Theological Seminary,
I was waylaid by armed robbers. They cut in front of my car to stop it, got out
and shot into the air, and entered their car and drove off. Calmly, I got out
of the car with my driver and other passengers. I came to understand that if
they had known that I had been the one in the car, they would not have zeroed
in on that car, or they would have killed me to avoid getting arrested. I also
understood that the police followed them to a logical conclusion. In addition,
I have heard all sorts of fetish stories about how people tried or were trying
to kill me and how I escaped through supernatural powers. I neither believe in
nor practice anything fetish.
“My greatest escape from untimely death was brought about
through the machinations and snares of Abacha. Even that was God’s doing.”