Nigeria’s former self-styled Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), has accused another retired General, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, of making desperate efforts to blackmail him during his days as elected President from 1999 to 2007.

Though he did not indicate the nature of the attempted blackmail, IBB, as Babangida is fondly called, claimed that Obasanjo, also a one-time military ruler, had tried without success to achieve his aim through business mogul, Dr. Mike Adenuga, owner of telecomm giants Globacom and the oil firm Conoil.

In a newspaper advertisement yesterday congratulating Adenuga on the attainment of the age of 60, IBB showered praises on him for choosing to remain a loyal friend even when Obasanjo’s regime allegedly tried to undermine his business empire for refusing to act according to its script. Below is the text of the advertisement which appeared on page 34 of The Nation, a Lagos-based daily:

“Mike, truly you epitomize hardwork, perseverance, doggedness, humility, diligence and patriotism. The fact that you treasure the virtue of true friendship and loyalty to any cause you believe in gives you the cutting edge. I am eternally grateful for all the troubles you had to go through because of me in the hands of a regime that tried to derail our friendship and relationship.

“Even when you came under severe pressure by that same regime which I helped to nurture, to blackmail me in order to hang me, you remained eternally loyal and steadfast. Only a businessman of character, sound upbringing and virtue could choose friendship instead of his economic empire. Only a man of delectable poise, with an open mind and fear of God would choose to sustain an age-long relationship instead of sacrificing same at the altar of avarice, greed and economic interest.

“Such tribulations are prices we have to pay for true friendship. Your ability to remain focused in the face of pressure coupled with your capacity to identify and nurture talents is the reason why you are MIKE ADENUGA. There can never be another Mike Adenuga of your orientation.”

OBJ, as Obasanjo is otherwise called, has yet to respond to IBB’s allegation.

•Photo shows IBB.