How fire gutted ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s hilltop mansion

Barely 20 minutes after Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former President left his Abeokuta Hilltop Mansion residence on Thursday, fire engulfed the building.

The house located in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital, was gutted by fire on Thursday with extensive damages recorded in the 30-minute incident

The fire, which started at about 4.25 p.m., was traced to electricity power surge, just barely about 20 minutes after Mr. Obasanjo left for his other house located in the Ita-Eko area of the town.

It was gathered that the fire started from Mr. Obasanjo’s private office, a stone throw to his bedroom, before the security in the premises raised alarm, and the state fire service was contacted.

The fire service, in a swift response, raced to the scene with two fire fighting vehicles, to curtail the fire, which would have spread to other apartments. However, a number of valuables were consumed by the fire.

No life was lost, but some damaged property were seen being moved out by men of the fire service and officers of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC).

Addressing newsmen shortly after the fire was put out, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to God, explaining that the fire did not affect the entire building.

He said: “You have seen that it is only the office of my secretary that is burnt. The house is almost intact.”

Singing in Yoruba language, the former president said: “Ile Obasanjo to jo ewa lobu kun, ile Obasanjo to jo ewa lobu kun, eyin Press ema wibe, ewa lobu kun” (which when translated means “fire that gutted Obasanjo’s house has only made it more beautiful, you pressmen sing along with me”).