Obasanjo Calls For National Reconciliation Says Nigeria More Divided Than We Believe

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Thursday, April 6th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, is sad concerning the state of the country as he stated that Nigeria is currently more divided and corroded than what leaders of thought had in mind.

Obasanjo who was a guest of honour at a public lecture series tagged, “From Elections to Governance and Performance” on Thursday in Abuja, stated that with the current situation on ground, it would be necessary for a national reconciliation, which will assuage the feelings of aggrieved Nigerians, especially the youth population.

According to him, he was now too old to keep quiet over unfolding events in Nigeria and he frowned at the growing debt profile and also the spending spree of government at all tiers, describing the situation to “spending like a drunken sailor”.

The event was organised by Nextier SPD, and also witnessed the public presentation of a book, “The Unending Quest for Reform: An Intellectual Memoir”, authored by Prof. Tunji Olaopa.

Speaking to the issues of reforms, he stated that governance in Nigeria now calls for thinking outside the box in terms of development financing.

“Let me suggest three ideas that I think can enrich the direction of the conversation here today, ” said the former President.

“One, given what we saw during the election, Nigeria is now even more divided and more corroded than we thought. This places a deep onus on any administration following the current one to urgently facilitate the process of national moral rearmament and national reconciliation that will assuage the youths.

“This must be done in sync with the imperative of national value orientation that Nigeria requires to build a collective sense of enduring and local values and national belonging.

“Two, governance in Nigeria now calls for thinking outside the box, in terms of development financing, this has become inevitable in the face of Nigeria’s dwindling fortune, in oil revenue, Nigeria’s huge foreign indebtedness and the urgency of diversifying Nigeria’s neo cultural economy.

“My experience and understanding, however, is that the money to develop and grow our economy is out there if we provide a conducive environment for it to come and stay.

“Three, political will, political action and administrative efforts must be invested in reforming the public service into a capability-ready institution that could enable Nigeria’s development agenda beyond 2023.

“All of these and more are necessary to correct and not to repeat the sickening and painful show of shame that the elections of 2023 generated.

“Let me conclude by stating clearly that I am now too old to keep quiet and watch Nigeria’s seemingly clueless launch into dystopia. All efforts are now required from all well-meaning, committed patriots to rescue the nation from the precipice. And when I look at the audience I have a feeling that among the people who can do it and who must do it are some of you here.

“It has become my own personal obligation, continuing in my relentless service as a letterman, dedicated in my twilight years to say the truth, as I see it, so as to push Nigeria, in the direction of our collective aspirations. What is our collective aspiration? A better society where all Nigerian can become what the Almighty God destined it to be.”