Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to put the image of Olusegun Obasanjo in one of the redesigned Naira notes.
Omokri, in a post on his social media page on Saturday, argued that former President Obasanjo is the greatest Nigerian living or dead, hence, deserves such honour.
He said : “I appeal to the Central Bank of Nigeria to consider putting President Olusegun Obasanjo’s image on the redesigned Naira. In my opinion, he is the greatest Nigerian living or dead. He and Atiku paid off our entire foreign debt.
” He entrenched democracy by being the first military leader to have VOLUNTARILY surrendered power to an elected government in Africa. And he returned 20 years later to become the first civilian President to democratically transfer power to another elected President.
“General Obasanjo also led the African anti apartheid effort, and spent billions of dollars to bring freedom to South Africa. And after leaving office on October 1, 1979, he became a leader of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group that successfully fought for the release of Nelson Mandela.
“Chief Obasanjo also handled the Sharia crisis tactically and peacefully. On the economic front, it was under him that Nigeria had her best ever GDP growth rate in 2002, and he was able to pay off Nigeria’s foreign debt at a time when crude oil sold for $22 per barrel.
“Finally, he governed without any bias to any religion or region, including his own. And to cap it all, he has now brought peace to Ethiopia.
” May God bless Olusegun Obasanjo!”
The CBN had in a few days ago announced plans to redesign the Nigerian currency, a move that has been backed by President Muhammadu Buhari.