General Olusegun Obasanjo Celebrates His Release From Jail In 1998

Date: 15-21 June, 1998, Abeokuta, 21st, and Lagos

Former Nigerian Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the prisoners released by Nigeria's new military ruler, Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar. In this clip, he is shown celebrating his freedom after many years in jail in a local church where his people held a thanksgiving ceremony for him. The venue was the Chapel of Hope and Glory in Abeokuta and thousands of well-wishers filled the place to celebrate with him.

Explaining that he was not bitter about his years in jail, he said he hoped the new government of Nigeria would pursue the path of peace and dialogue. Obasanjo served three years out of a 15-year sentence that was slammed on him for his role in a 1995 coup attempt. With him in the clip is his late wife, Stella Obasanjo nee Abebe. While addressing his audience, Obasanjo stressed how his religious beliefs helped him through his years in prison.

Although he said he had forgiven those who flung him into jail 'unlawfully', he blasted the 'Kangaroo' court that tried him and said he was only victimized for speaking out against an oppressive regime. He took time out to point out what he called the flaws of his trial.

In other parts of the clip, you will also see other political prisoners freed. These were Frank Kokori, detained since August 1994 for leading an oil workers strike that pushed for political reforms and improved human rights. Before he was jailed, Kokori was the National Secretary for the Petrol and Gas Workers Union. He had said:

''I have heard a little of what this man has done, that he is not deaf and he is not blind so he knows the mood of the country so there is no way we will ever go back again on anything short of democracy and the people's preferences so the people are now ready because they have been taken for a ride."

You can also see scenes of joy outside the residence of Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, a former president of the Nigerian Medical Association and a leading pro-democracy activist. He was jailed in 1995 also for his alleged involvement in a military coup plot. He stated that he was never told his precise crime and although he suffered ill health because of the incarceration, he was definitely happy to regain his freedom at last.

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