Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made a rare appearance at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, marking his first visit to Aso Rock since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
Obasanjo, a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration, has largely stayed away from the Villa, even declining invitations to major state functions such as Council of State meetings. His presence on Friday therefore drew attention.
The former president attended the 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols hosted by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa. The event was themed “Emmanuel: God With Us.”
According to a statement from the First Lady’s media office, Obasanjo read the Second Lesson from Genesis 22:15–18, which highlights God’s covenant of blessing through obedience. Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, also attended and read the First Lesson from Genesis 3:8–12, recounting humanity’s first encounter with divine accountability.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu read the Ninth Lesson from John 1:1–14, affirming the message of the Word made flesh, after which the congregation rose to sing the hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
President Tinubu was notably absent from the programme. Presidency sources, however, explained that his absence was not a snub of the former leaders but was due to the event being strictly religious.
Obasanjo’s appearance comes weeks after he publicly criticised the Tinubu administration over worsening insecurity across the country. Speaking in Jos, Plateau State, in November, he said Nigerians have the right to seek help from the international community if the government fails in its primary responsibility of protecting lives.
He lamented ongoing killings nationwide, stressing that no Nigerian should be killed because of tribe, religion, or region. According to him, every life lost is a national tragedy, and excuses by the government are unacceptable.
Obasanjo also disclosed that during his administration, security agencies had the capacity to track criminals anywhere in the country but lacked advanced technology to neutralise them remotely. He argued that Nigeria now has drone technology capable of targeting terrorists but questioned why the government relies on negotiations rather than decisive action.
“Now we have the capacity with drones. You can take them out. Why are we not doing that? Why are we apologising? Why are we negotiating?” he asked.
