Erstwhile Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is thankful to God for making it to the New Year, after surviving a late December 2012 fire incident at his Hilltop Mansion that could have claimed his life had it occurred in the night.
Obasanjo made the confession on Wednesday in the same Hilltop mansion while speaking during a solidarity visit to his home by executive members of the Lagos Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former general, who was at his comic best while addressing journalists last week after the fire was quelled, revealed on Wednesday to his fellow party men that the smoke that enveloped his room was enough to snuff life out of him.
The fire, asides affecting other parts of the office, razed the office of the former president’s private secretary, which is just next to his bedroom.
“The fire incident, which occurred in the office of my private secretary, resulted in thick smoke that pervaded my bedroom,” Obasanjo said. “If it had happened at night, I would have been a dead person now.”
He then went on to express gratitude to all well-wishers “both within and outside the country” who called him on phone to sympathise with him on the tragedy, saying he would always be grateful for the mercies and kindness of God.
