Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he survived an alleged plot by former Head of State General Sani Abacha to kill him, alongside General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and business mogul Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. Obasanjo attributed his survival to the special grace of God.
Speaking at the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Assemblies of God Church, dubbed “The Noah’s Ark,” in Ogbor Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, Obasanjo recounted that Abacha had boasted that none of the three would leave prison alive, ensuring his continued hold on power.
“When I was arrested, I initially thought it was a mistake. But when I realized it wasn’t, I turned to prayer, asking God to forgive those who were behind it, whether knowingly or unknowingly,” Obasanjo said.
He added, “The man who arrested us boasted that M.K.O. Abiola, Shehu Yar’Adua, and I would not come out alive. Two of them did not survive, but I did—not because of my power, but by the special grace of God.”
Obasanjo described himself as a product of God’s grace, reflecting on a 1959 course in Ghana where only two of nine Nigerians who completed it were still alive. “I am not mocking those who have passed on; may their souls rest in peace. But I give this as an example of God’s grace in my life.”
He also praised philanthropist Engr. Success Akagburuonye for building the magnificent Noah’s Ark Church to honor God and advance His Kingdom. During the event, Obasanjo paid tribute to Akagburuonye’s 104-year-old mother, kneeling before her to seek the grace of long life.
The Noah’s Ark Church, a replica of the biblical ark in form and function, was dedicated on May 24, 2025, drawing a large crowd of faithful, pilgrims, tourists, and dignitaries including religious leaders, traditional rulers, captains of industry, and political figures.
