Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has revealed that he personally warned the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha on the day he ordered the arrest of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV, Anyaoku described the detention as a grave mistake and damaging to Nigeria’s international reputation.
“My last conversation with Abacha was the day he detained General Obasanjo,” Anyaoku disclosed. “I called him and said that was very unwise and it wouldn’t serve our country’s image, that Obasanjo was well respected internationally as a democrat. The first military ruler who handed over power to civilians voluntarily.”
Obasanjo who had handed power over to a civilian government in 1979 after serving as a military Head of State, was widely regarded across the globe as a symbol of democratic transition in Africa. His 1995 arrest and imprisonment under Abacha’s regime on charges of plotting a coup drew widespread condemnation from the international community.
Anyaoku, a seasoned diplomat and global statesman said his intervention was based on concern for Nigeria’s standing in the world and the need to uphold democratic values. Despite his counsel, the regime went ahead with the detention which remained one of the most controversial actions of Abacha’s rule.
The revelation adds to the historical record of behind-the-scenes efforts made by elder statesmen to steer Nigeria away from repression during the military era.
Anyaoku’s role shows the importance of speaking truth to power and the ongoing struggle to protect democratic principles in times of authoritarian rule.
His remarks serve as a reminder of the critical role played by respected voices in shaping Nigeria’s democratic journey, even in its darkest moments.
