Former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on Wednesday, told of how ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo almost punched him over his proposal on constitution to him.
Olanipekun made this known at the 32nd and 33rd convocation lecture of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State on Wednesday.
He recounted the incident while delivering a lecture titled: “Mass Exodus of Human Capital in Nigeria: An Anatomical Analysis of the Causes and Effects” in which he said the problems afflicting Nigeria is a function of the country’s constitution.
The legal luminary said in 2002 in his capacity as President of NBA, he led a delegation of members of the association to meet Obasanjo, and offered his advice to the then President on the need for him to commence the process of amending the constitution but his admonition almost earned him a punch.
“I, as president of the NBA, I led a delegation of the association to president Obasanjo in 2002, he almost boxed me, I’m here in Ogun State and I’m saying this, he is still alive, he said ‘no you can’t change it’, I said Mr. President, let us seize this opportunity to do it.
“We also appeal to the powers that be now, to our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the time for us to restructure this country is now if we do not do it, these children that we have abroad might not return home, they won’t come here”, Olanipekun said.
