Former Sports Minister, Abdullahi breaks feeling on book’s choice
The Former Minister of Sports, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi during his vote of thanks at the launched of his book on Friday shares his feelings on why he choice to write the book.
I wrote this book as a Journalist who has several experiences in politics and government and who has taken the full advantages of access I met with President Jonathan. I didn’t claim that this is a perfect but doing my best and human capacity. I decided to approach President for an interview to unveil some of the issues that he decided to increase the fuel price in January 2012 and why he decided to go to Kano to dance in a rally same day Book Haram bombed and killed about 500 Nigerians at Nyanya Park which I try to get Anders to this questions and set some questions ahead of my former boss. He was initially disposed and said ” I hope you are not going to be sensational as Segun Adeniyi. I said your Excellency Sir, I will set my questions ahead I want to reassure you of my duty to objective as possible. So I set the questions and made several efforts to be successful in whatever task I’m handling. Though, I thought of whether people will not think I wrote this book to get back at Dr. Jonathan on my exit from his government. I try to get in touch but wasn’t successful and my likes minds told me that some people have advised him against granting me the interview as I will use it against him. So the interview couldn’t hold. I then said that this important efforts I made must go down in history as there was no any motive attached to it. When I was inspired to take my position on someone I deemed fit to be my leader I assured him that there is nothing to be bitter about and I choose to stand for him to damn the consequence.
Writing this book has also taught me something new about Nigeria, we have had the only country in the world where the book has not been review but we were fully reviewing its part. Now that the book has been formally review we now read and form our judgement whether I met the objectivity on the standard I found myself. Again, I do not expect that everyone will agree with me on everything in the book because it is neither a Bible nor a Qu’ran. I earnestly wish to appreciate Chief Dele Momodu for his contributions in correcting some things and may God bless you and may you live long. When you told me that you made efforts in crosschecking the book my heart stop beating for awhile. But I’m glad to stand with some of these individuals that scrutinize the book.
This book is an account of what really happened in Jonathan’s government and those people that were mentioned played various roles in what happened and they lived here in Abuja. I confined the identity of some people because they told me not mention them. So the people who are mentioned are those that are in position to come out and deny issues of discussions not the ball boys who doesn’t have important roles to play in that government, I’m talking of real men.
I thought of providing a background given that we are in a country where people rolls with their neighbors and believes that serious issues doesn’t matter.
But for the real reasons I’m invited here to give vote of thanks I believe that I cannot thank everyone individually enough. I believe in all of you for giving me substantial support and many of you have traveled far away to be with us this afternoon, myself and my family are grateful. I wish to specially recognise the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who deemed it fit out of busy schedules at the National Assembly to attend this occasion and some of the distinguished Senators. I want to appreciate the Executive Governor of Borno state, Alhaji Kashim Shettima , Kwara state Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed and all other top gentle functionaries. I wish to appreciate my colleagues in the pen house and others to mention too numerous to mention.