Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, says ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo did not abuse African tradition by criticising the late ex-Senator, Buruji Kashamu.
But the lawyer was quick to note that Obasanjo’s message was veiled with hypocrisy, saying “it is against the African culture to aid and abet a criminal suspect in his lifetime, only to turn round to attack him in his grave.”
He urged the former head of state to “stop insulting the collective intelligence of the Nigerian people.”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that Kashamu, a governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election in Ogun State, died of COVID-19 complications on Saturday at the age of 62.
Kashamu, who also represented Ogun East Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019 at the National Assembly, was buried on Sunday in accordance with Islamic rites at his Ijebu-Igbo hometown.
The late lawmaker had faced extradition to the United States for alleged drug trafficking until his death.
Ex-President Obasanjo had, in a message titled, ‘Letter of condolence,’ alleged that Kashamu used the instruments of law and politics to evade justice.
“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.
“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,” he said while praying that Allah forgive Kashamu’s sins.
Obasanjo’s letter had attracted criticisms from many Nigerians, including former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
In his reaction titled, ‘Matters Arising From Chief Obasanjo’s Condolence Letter,’ Falana wrote:
