The former president condemned younger generation of leaders.
While reviewing Nigeria’s history since independence, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the country may have been cursed with poor and irresponsible leaders.
Mr. Obasanjo, who gave the keynote address at the 4th Annual Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit organised by Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with African Sustainable Development Network, on Tuesday, said if Nigerians were yet to commend a leader after 53 years of independence, “Then we are jinxed and cursed; we should all go to hell.”
He also condemned the younger generation of leaders in the country, saying they lack integrity and probity and have failed their people woefully.
Making specific reference to his Vice President for eight years, Atiku Abubakar; former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari; former Bayelsa State Governor, Deprieye Alamieyeseigha; and others as younger generation of leaders, the former President said Nigeria was not lucky even with them.
“We had some people who were under 50years in leadership positions. One of them was James Ibori, where is he today? One of them was Alamieyeseigha, where is he today? Lucky Igbinedion, where is he today?
“The youngest was the Speaker, (Salisu) Buhari; you can still recall what happened to him. You said Bola Tinubu is your master. What Buhari did was not anything worse than what Bola Tinubu did.
“We got them impeached. But in this part of the world some people covered up the other man. The man claimed he went to Government College, Ibadan but the governor (Oyo State) went to Government College and packed all the documents so that they would not know that he did not go there.
“I wanted someone who would succeed me so I took Atiku. Within a year, I started seeing the type of man Atiku is. And you want me to get him there?
“I once went to Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognised Biafra. He told me not to mind his aides and others in government. They would say they have one house in town but their five year old sons and daughters would have houses all over.
“Some of you who are condemning the leadership would get there tomorrow and it will be a different story. Only very few are actually good.
“Abacha, my predecessor got $750m. Through our lawyer in Switzerland we recovered $1.25bn and the lawyer still said there is probably still another $1bn to be recovered. In 1979 we had 20 new ships specially built for Nigeria. When I came back 20 years after, the national shipping line had liquidated.
“The whole thing is not just about leadership. If we talk about good leadership you should also talk about good followers. If you talk about human right you should also talk about human duties and obligations.
“It is sad that after 53years of independence we have no leader that we can commend. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over he would not see any good thing that his predecessor did. Let us condemn but with caution,” the former military ruler and two-term democractically elected president said.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Isaac Adewole said he was worried about the fate that could befall the country as she holds her general elections in 2015.
“We have not raised question about the scenario where 35 people found it difficult to conduct credible election in this country,” the don said in reference to the election of the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum that has polarized Nigeria’s 36 state governors.
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Biafra would have been better for igbos and the rest of Nigeria
ReplyDeleteThe problem is GODlessness,,,,,,, The Demon Called Greed, possesses Our leaders immediately they entered that office (presidency).....
ReplyDeleteYou OBJ spent Billions of Dollars on power project without anything to show for it. WILL THEY TAKE THE MONEY TO HELL OR HEAVEN ????????????????????
Ask dem.
ReplyDeleteYes Nigeria has never had good leaders.all of them r greedy nd lack Gods fear.Even OBJ that was talking is a Bad leader ,he has the quality of leader that can change this country but he blew it by imposing bad nd greedy pple as president nd governers.history wl nt 4get ur cruel nd evil work on this earth.u r disgrace to humanity for having gut to be condeming others cus u r nt better.u should ve rot in hell.
ReplyDeleteeverybody is bad who go come gud then? and we are all shouting APC now if they use there first second third tenure for ofc for propagander we will now know the problm we are into.....everybody is bad.....we need God intervrntion
ReplyDeleteAt least, Obasanjo stands out among all of the past and present Nigerian leaders, take it or leave. I am from the north central- Benue precisely. So don't think I said that out of any tribal sentment. His administrations have more legacy than all others. If u doubt that just check up history. Let's accord him the respect
ReplyDeleteObasanjo put us where we are today. It was his greed and hunger for power that brought in the likes of GEJ who has no vision or mission for coming to power.
ReplyDeleteBack to 1979, Obasanjo gave the rickety Ship (Nigeria) a farmer as its captain (Shagari) who got cased out of power by the military in 1983. After 16 years of turmoil, mismanagement, pilfering of the nations resources... the military hands over power to who? OBJ. what did he do with the power for 8 yrs?,
he created more thieves.
Did he make a change?
NO, he tried to go for a third term in office and because he failed, he rigged the elections and imposed the frail Yar'Adua on the country making GEJ his deputy.
OBJ didn't stop at that, he imposed governors like Lucky Igbinedion, James Ibori, Olagunsole Oyinlole, Gbenga Daniels, Alao Akala, Segun Oni and a whole lot of others to punish the Nigerian people for not supporting his third term agenda.
OBJ and his thiefing cohort spent(stole) 16 billion dollars on improving the countries power generation from little over 2,000 mega watts to what? we all know the answer.
In conclusion, OBJ is no longer in power and has been displaced of his grip of PDP and he is now one of the Nigerian masses and can now see clearly what monster he created. OBJ jinxed Nigeria and made it a cursed nation and so therefore should please keep quiet.He has no moral justification to say what he has said.
Obj deserves no respect, yes he said d truth, but its only half truth, let's ask Obj wld Igbinedion have been able 2 return in Edo without Objs support 4 rigging, same 4 Diepreye and co........Obj must be told dat d biggest crime a politician can commit in a democracy is stealing our votes and Obj did this without remorse!
ReplyDeleteNo respect to be accorded to a wicked, selfish nd non God fearing leader.he was part of leaders that planted corruption seed in the country.he has always installed clueless nd incompetent head of states,so that pple wl see him as A better one.c the way the country is now,everything has fallen apart .the way the govt approaches matters is symbolic to situation whereby a primary 6 student is bn given a waec questions to solve.the government is more like kindergatin stuff.
ReplyDeletetrue talk
ReplyDeleteBloody murder fuckers, why did you lead the war against Biafra, if you could visit Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognized Biafra, then why didn't you allow Biafra to secede. You OBJ was was of those that fought and made sure that Biafra collapsed.
ReplyDeleteObasanjo, you are one one the useless leaders we had. You are one of those that has made this country to keep retrogressing. You should hide yourself in shame forever. Abacha's recovered billions, what did you do with it? You and BASTARD Soludo ruined Allstates trust bank because of politics, thus causing thousands of Nigerian investors pains. POSTERITY WILL NEVER FORGIVE THE LIKES OF YOU
ReplyDeleteIt's quite unfortunate that people don't have shame in this part of the globe, otherwise why will Baba come out to add to our pains? He destroyed all public institutions when he came in 1976. How many civil servants can afford to send their wards to the bell school without stealing? You promised to gave us light in two years when you called late Bola Ige liar for promising one year. Do we have the light now? Baba you created most of the problems. So stop blaming the younger ones for your actions and inactions. You supervised the crowning of Shagari. You help in creating Abacha because of your hatred for Abiola. Baba, stop insulting us.
ReplyDeleteOlusegun Obasanjo is far ahead among those who have ruled this nation, you can fact check it, but he also made lots of mistakes among which is emergence of Jonathan kindergarten administration that's clueless and shallow.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt about his love and passion for this great nation history must accord him respect and vindicate him.
HAHAHAHAAHAHA, THE SPIRITS OF INNOCENT BIAFRANS WHO WERE UNJUSTLY KILLED WILL EVER HOLD THAT COUNTRY CALLED NIGERIA DOWN SO THAT IT WILL NEVER PROGRESS, TAKE IT OR NOT
ReplyDeleteMay they all rot in HELL.
ReplyDeleteSimply non has any intergrity. Bastards The lot of them!