Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how he narrowly escaped a plot by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to eliminate him along with Chief MKO Abiola and General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
Speaking over the weekend at the dedication of a new Assemblies of God Church, “The Noah’s Ark,” in Ogbor Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, Obasanjo said it was only by the grace of God that he survived.
According to Obasanjo, Abacha had made it clear that the three men would not leave prison alive, as part of his bid to hold on to power indefinitely.
“When I was arrested, I initially thought it was a mistake. But it became clear that Abacha had made up his mind to eliminate us,” Obasanjo said. “He boasted that MKO Abiola, Shehu Yar’Adua, and Olusegun Obasanjo would die in custody. Sadly, two of them didn’t make it out. I did, but not by my own strength — only by God’s special grace.”
Reflecting on his experience, Obasanjo said he turned to prayer during the ordeal: “I prayed like Stephen in the Bible, but I added my own line — whether they knew what they were doing or not, may God forgive them. I surrendered everything to God.”
Obasanjo emphasized his deep sense of gratitude for surviving what he described as a deliberate assassination plan. “If there’s anyone who can speak of God’s amazing grace, it’s me,” he said. “God has been unusually kind to me.”
He also shared a personal memory from 1959, when he was among nine Nigerians who successfully completed a course in Ghana. Of the nine, only two are still alive. “Not because we are better than the others, but because of God’s grace,” he said. “All I can do is continue to thank Him.”
Obasanjo commended the philanthropist behind the church project, Engineer Obioma Success Akagburuonye, for his commitment to God’s work. He likened Akagburuonye’s journey to his own — a story of grace and divine favor.
The church, modeled after the biblical Noah’s Ark, was officially dedicated on May 24, 2025. The grand ceremony drew a large crowd, including religious leaders, traditional rulers, business figures, and dignitaries from across the country and abroad.
In a moment of humility, Obasanjo knelt before Akagburuonye’s 104-year-old mother, saying he hoped to tap into the grace of long life.