By Mustapha Ogunshakin
There’s this religious victimization card played by some people that I found amusing. Rather than address issues on their merits, people like Kperoogi and the other chap in MURIC tend to play religious card that border on intellectual laziness. The recent attack on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN is one of such. They accused Osinbajo of favoring Christians, particularly members of his church, RCCG. They also accused him (Osinbajo) of betraying their Muslim brother, Asiwaju Tinubu, forgetting conveniently that Senator Remi, Tinubu’s wife is a Pastor of the same RCCG.
If both had bothered to do a little research on Osinbajo, if they had done their homework well on him, maybe they would have come out with more reasonable and believable criticisms.
All his life, Osinbajo has served Muslim bosses and he has never had any problem with any of them. Former Attorney General of the Federation, Bola Ajibola SAN, who he served as Special Adviser. Asiwaju Tinubu he served as Attorney General in Lagos, and President Buhari who he is serving presently as Vice President. Of all these three distinguished Statesmen, it is Tinubu they are accusing him of betraying.
They spew lies from the pit of hell! Obviously, both Kperoogi and the MURIC. guy do not know Yemi Osinbajo. Osinbajo’s Chief of Staff, Ade Abdulrahman Ipaye is a practising and devout Muslim. Ipaye has been with him since 1999 when he served as Osinbajo’s Special Assistant at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. Ipaye later served as Special Adviser to the Governor under Fashola, and later as Attorney General. When Osinbajo became Vice President, he took Ipaye along as Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, serving in the office of Osinbajo. Ipaye is a student of Osinbajo and they have stayed loyal together for years!
Osinbajo’ Private Secretary at the Ministry is one Mr Bakare is also a devout Muslim. He served Osinbajo for eight years. Osinbajo sponsored him to Hajj and also sponsored his University Education. Today, he holds a Bsc in Accounting. How then can he be a Muslim hater?
In 2005, President Olusegun Obasanjo invited Osinbajo to take appointment as the Attorney General of the Federation after Chief Akin Olujimi SAN left office. Obasanjo saw the sterling qualities and performance that Osinbajo had as AG Lagos. The President without informing Tinubu offered the post to Lagos AG. The first thing Osinbajo did was to inform his principal, Tinubu, who gave him a free hand to take his decision.
Osinbajo made a request to Obasanjo: “Release Lagos Council funds.” Don’t forget that as A.G Lagos, Osinbajo it was who filed cases against the FG for withholding Lagos Local Government funds after Tinubu created LCDAs. Obasanjo replied that Osinbajo should first take the appointment and then advise him as Attorney General of the Federation on the matter. Osinbajo went underground and for weeks, Obasanjo could no longer reach him. It was obvious to the President that Osinbajo deliberately avoided him. He went on to appoint Chief Bayo Ojo SAN as his AGF and Minister of Justice. Osinbajo rejected the position of AGF and Minister of Justice and stayed with Tinubu! Nobody complained then.
Osinbajo not only stood with Tinubu, he stayed loyal to Lagos State. He did not betray Tinubu then but now when it is convenient for them, some political and religious bigots are shouting betrayal!
Everyone knows that if you want to hear the story of how your father met your mother, join politics. But if you must criticize Osinbajo, do so on valid facts! Not lazy, religious and political lies that reveal your foolishness and hatred for a man who is doing his best to make his country and people better.