Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reiterated his commitment towards ensuring global peace, insisting that he would not rest until the world achieves global peace.
Obasanjo spoke Monday, when a special handwritten letter by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was presented to him by Bishop Precious Omuku on the occasion of his 83rd birthday at his residence located in the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun state.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Senior Bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury.
The letter, dated Thursday, February 20, noted that the former president, despite his advanced age, had continued to serve the course of peace globally.
The two paragraph letter reads: “I write to wish you many happy returns of the day on 5th March. At an age when many retire, you continue to serve the course of peace across the world, and especially in Africa.
“May God grant you blessing, wisdom, the assurance of salvation and confidence in His love for you in Cross and Resurrection in the peace of Christ.”
Responding, Obasanjo who described the letter as “a special birthday gift” said the request to continue to serve for peace was a challenge for him.
“It is a challenge to do more than what we have done. You realise that everywhere we are, there is always an opportunity to work for peace and an opportunity to work for justice, which is foundation for peace.
“There is plenty of work to do. My prayer is that God will give us the wherewithal to do more,” Obasanjo said.He commended the Director of the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue (CHS&D), Professor Peter Okebukola, for organising “this surprise occasion. Every birthday is a special day, but this particular one is particularly special. I thanked Archbishop and the initiator of this surprise occasion, Professor Okebukola.”