A former staff member of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Ajibola Oluwafidipo, has recounted how former President Olusegun Obasanjo personally intervened to save him from being laid off during a downsizing exercise in 2011.
Oluwafidipo shared his experience in a tribute, highlighting Obasanjo’s unexpected act of kindness that kept him from joining the ranks of the unemployed at the time.
According to him, on May 11, 2011, the OOPL, which was still a project site at the time, faced financial constraints that necessitated reducing its workforce.
“Over 200 employees were assembled at Christ the Glorious King Chapel for an assessment to determine those whose services were essential.
“As each staff member stood up to introduce themselves and explain their roles, more than 100 had already been asked to go since their duties had not fully commenced due to the project’s early stage,” Oluwafidipo recalled.
Oluwafidipo in the statement made available to PLATFORM TIMES, said when it was his turn, he introduced himself as a member of the museum department, working under Sir Martins Akanbiemu, the Resident Curator.
He said due to his extensive knowledge of artifacts and his ability to recall their details effortlessly, he had been nicknamed “The Encyclopedia of the OOPL.”
He said, before he could conclude his introduction, Obasanjo, in his characteristic humorous tone, interjected, saying, “I will not sack you.”
That single statement, according to Oluwafidipo, spared him from the wave of job cuts that day.
“I won’t be too full of myself to think I was spared because of my dexterity, but I found favour in the sight of God, using Baba Obasanjo to rescue me from the flood of joblessness,” he wrote.
Expressing his gratitude, he noted that if not for Obasanjo’s intervention, his two years of dedicated service at OOPL would have ended abruptly, forcing him to search for another job.
He concluded his tribute by wishing the former president well on his birthday, praying for continued peace and blessings upon him.
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