Fire Guts Obasanjo’s House

The country home of Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at Olusegun Osoba Hilltop in Abeokuta, Ogun state has been damaged by a fire outbreak, which consumed the office building in the complex. The fire which lasted for about 30 minutes was allegedly caused by a power surge.

One of the attendants in the house who does not want to be identified, said that as soon as the blaze was noticed, men of the Ogun state fire service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were contacted. The inferno was reportedly brought under control.

Though no official cause has been given for the fire, The Tide source gathered that the fire started from Obasanjo’s private office, a stone throw to his bedroom, before the security in the premises raised alarm, and the state fire service was contacted.

The journalists who expected a briefing from the former President  on the cause of the fire were shocked when the former leader instead joked over the incident.  Speaking in Yoruba language, the former President told journalists to go to town and sing about the fire.

“Go, go and sing to the whole world that ‘the king’s house that is gutted by fire only beautifies the house,” the former president said.

While journalists expected him to continue, Obasanjo simply dismissed the journalists after the statement.