Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday declared that he made "successful" mistakes as Military Head of State and civilian president.
Obasanjo, who ruled the country between 1976 and 1979 as a military head and between 1999 and 2007 as a civilian President, however, took responsibility for all his actions.
He spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State during the 50th anniversary lecture to commemorate the call to the Bar of Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
A civil war veteran and former Chief of Staff of the 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigeria Army, Gen. Alabi Isama (rtd), had recently accused Obasanjo of committing numerous blunders during his reign in government.
Obasanjo said, "One mistake I made that turned out to be successful was when I was looking for somebody to give leadership of the University of Lagos to and I chose Babalola. Some people stated I made a mistake but it turned out to be a successful mistake."
"My mistakes, as people say, were mostly in appointments. I appointed the UNILAG Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor and the university became the best. The Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor that I appointed were acknowledged as the best at the time."
"The mother of all the mistakes was that the exposure and involvement of Babalola in the affairs of UNILAG led to the establishment of the Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti."
"If you have not seen 'instant wonder', go to ABUAD. Babalola used his experience as the Pro-Chancellor of UNILAG to build what today is the best and fast growing private university in the country."
Obasanjo, who inaugurated the extension of Babalola's Emmanuel Chambers on the occasion, said, "There are many Nigerians, but, there are not many good Nigerians of Babalola's sterling qualities."
Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and a former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni, among other eminent personalities attended the ceremony.