Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described a book written by PREMIUM TIMES’ Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, on another former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, as a timeless historical document.
Mr Jonathan stated this during the public presentation of the book on Thursday in Abuja.
“The Letterman: Inside the ‘Secret’ Letters of former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo,” is a 492-page book that x-rays the role of letter writing in leadership, governance and politics.
It focuses on Mr Obasanjo and his fondness for speaking bluntly to subordinates, superiors, associates and foreign personalities – through letters not minding the reactions the letters might generate.
The book curates some of the most significant and historical letters written and received by the former president, who served as a military head of state and civilian president at different times. A number of these letters, written to dignitaries in Nigeria and around the world, have never been publicly seen.
Mr Jonathan, who was represented by a former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, said the book unravels key epistolary engagements on governance, military, religion, diplomacy and even sports from the perspective of Mr Obasanjo.
The former president, who was billed to be the special guest at the event, apologised and said he could not attend the event in person because he had to travel out of the country for an international engagement.
While thanking Mr Mojeed for the initiative of writing such a good book out of significant correspondences of a prominent political figure, Mr Jonathan said it shows the important role the habit of letter writing could play in society.
“The Letterman is no ordinary book. It is a biography made out of the numerous letters of former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. What the author has produced is a timeless historical document…,” he said. “The book has again brought to focus the place of letters in world history and the role it could play in stimulating critical thinking and influencing policy in global geopolitics. Over the ages, there are ample documented instances of epoch-making letters that impacted the course of history and left lessons for future generations.”
He said Nigeria has a former president (Obasanjo) and statesman who has an unmatched zest for letter writing, a passion that, over the ages, has apparently remained one of his key mediums for critical communication and engagements.
The author, he said, has done a good job of compiling and analysing the letters to numerous personalities across the world – including diplomats, clergymen, sportsmen, journalists and political leaders like myself.
Mr Jonathan added that the book will not only make a good read but serve as a document of value for future researchers in many fields including military tactics, leadership and nation-building.
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