BEVERLY HILLS, July 15, (THEWILL) – Noting that there is so much in a name, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that people should desist from calling him Matthew, which he acknowledged as one of the names given to him by his parents.
The former president explained that he had distance himself from Matthew because the character who was so named in the Bible, was a tax collector.
He said, “When I was born, my mother and father decided to name me Matthew. I grew up being called and addressed Matthew. What is the meaning of Matthew in the Bible? He was a tax collector.
“So, when I grew up, I dropped Matthew from my name. If anyone does not want to see my eyes red, no one should call me Matthew again. People ask, what is in a name? For me, there is so much in a name.”
Obasanjo, who stated this at an event organised in his honour by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, urged members of the profession to be diligent and to always strive for perfection.
Pointing out that imperfection in the Engineering profession comes at a huge price, he said, “A doctor’s mistake often leads to the death of one patient.
“A lawyer’s mistake leads to the client going to jail. But if an engineer makes a mistake that leads to the collapse of a bridge or house, many people would lose their lives.
“That is why engineers must be very careful and must be efficient not to allow mistakes to be made.”
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