Date Published: 06/29/09

Why T.Y. Danjuma left Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo

More facts have surfaced on how former President Olusegun Obasanjo wielded the big stick and offered “protection” for Lagos billionaire, Mr. Aliko Dangote. New documents have surfaced showing that Chief Obasanjo prevented former Defense Minister, Lt. General Theophilus Y. Danjuma from sending Mr. Dangote to jail for tax evasion and callous neutralization of perceived competitors.

Sources close to the three influential Nigerians told pointblanknews.com that Obasanjo’s usual tendency to offer protection to Dangote at the expense of other Nigerian long established industrial icons “was what eventually led to the parting of ways between Obasanjo and his friend of 32 years, T.Y. Danjuma.”

Under condition of anonymity, pointblanknews.com was told that, while “a deep personal sense of betrayal from Obasanjo” could have led Danjuma to follow his own course in life, having once swore that he would leave Nigeria for exile, in 1999, if Obasanjo was not voted into the presidency, the General was said to have been angered that his long existing salt-bagging company, Union Dicon salt was destroyed for DANSALT owned by Dangote.

It was said that Obasanjo was an “enabler”, who allowed DANSALT, built inside Apapa port to dodge taxes and cheat Nigerian government in duties, while other companies were paying through the nose.

A Transport Ministry Official volunteered that “Dangote was the kid on the block, he got all favors and his gains have always been a loss to the nation.” The competition between DANSALT and other companies was, allegedly, never fair.

A former minister who served on the Federal Executive Council with T.Y. Danjuma said that the retired General once fumed openly at a council meeting in Abuja and “called Aliko criminal who evaded taxes.”

The jury is still out there on why so much unchecked latitude was given to one man to drive the Nigerian economy to extreme comatose while there was a better and honest road to travel.