Premium Times editor, Mojeed to release book on Obasanjo’s letters
THE Editor- in- Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, will, on December 1, release his debut book to the public. The book, The Letterman: Inside the ‘ Secret’ Letters of former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, will be unveiled at a ceremony in Abuja, after which it will be available in bookshops.
The Letterman, a 25- chapter narrative non- fiction, curates some of the most significant and historical letters written and received by former President Obasanjo, which compellingly tell the story of his life, as defined by and is defining of the story of his country, Nigeria and the larger African continent. A number of these letters, written to dignitaries in Nigeria and around the world, have never been publicly seen.
The 492- page ( 465+ 27 initial pages) book is a product of seven years of assiduous research, whose chronicle unfolds from the time of Obasanjo as General Officer Commanding the Third Marine Commando and his wartime efforts, through his tenure as military head of state between 1976 and 1979, his continental liberation struggles and political activism from the 1970s to 1999, his civilian presidential term from 1999 to 2007, as well as his post- presidency era.
“These letters essentially tell a story that is as deeply personal as it is painstakingly national, and global”, Ololade Bamidele, who coordinated the production of the book, said. “This tour de force of historical writing situates Musikilu Mojeed as a witness and skillful raconteur who deftly manages to braid farflung pieces into a magisterial whole that unveils the attitudes, worldview, relationships, emotional complexity and stewardship of this enigmatic global statesman, through the correspondences he exchanged with others.”