Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said people should mourn him any way they like when he dies.
Obasanjo made this known while responded to criticism that trailed his condolence message on the death of Buruji Kashamu, a former senator representing Ogun East.
In the condolence message, Obasanjo said Kashamu avoided justice in his lifetime but could not escape death.
He said: “The life and history of the departed have lessons for those of us on this side of the veil. Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) in his lifetime used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
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“But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical manoeuver could stop the cold hand of death when the creator of all of us decides that the time is up.
“May Allah forgive his sins and accept his soul into Aljanah, and may God grant his family and friends fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
The condolence had caused so many controversies among Nigerians, including former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
However, Obasanjo in an interview with Premium Times on Sunday said it was okay for people to mourn every death but that the living, including himself, must draw the right lessons from the lives of those who have died.
He said: “When I was growing up, in our community, when anyone known with bad character died, we usually only mourn him and bury him. No eulogy. No praise-singing.
“There is an English saying that urges us never to talk ill of the dead. But in this case, we are not talking ill of the dead. We are only drawing lessons from the life and history of the dead. I am not gloating over his death. It is sad for anyone to die and we must mourn him.
“But we must learn from such a passage. There will be bad lessons. There will be good lessons. But we should not just be praise-singing or eulogising the dead, especially when there is no need to do so.
“We should not cover up bad histories and conducts so that the right lessons can be learnt.”
The former President added that he does not care what people would say about him when he died because he had said the right thing about Kashamu.
“As you know, I say my mind as truthfully as I know them and in line with my convictions. People are free to say whatever they want about my comment. I don’t begrudge people for holding opinions on whatever I say or do.
“Let people say whatever they like when I transit. Now that I am alive, am I not being abused? Whenever I transit, let people say whatever they know or think about me. Let them say it as it is. What my maker thinks of me is what matters most,” he said.
