Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that the country is not properly managed, noting that, lack of economic security and good leadership could see another sect like Boko Haram arise in the next 15years.
Obasanjo declared that the country’s population growth, lack of economic security and leadership crisis have been the bane of the country’s present predicament.
He asserted that the country has enough resources to be a true giant, not even only in Africa but among the comity of nations but for the bad managers of the country’s God given resources, adding that, Nigerians should wake up from its slumber to right the wrong.
Obasanjo stated this on Thursday while addressing people from all walks if life who have come to celebrate his 78th birthday anniversary with him.
The event which was held at the main auditorium of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta attracted dignitaries from the academic, politics, diplomats, captains of industry, students and monarchs in attendance.
According to him, “loyalty and relationship is the root of all what we are saying. Some of the things everybody have been saying here, loyalty to Nigeria must not be undermine with anything. May God continue to bless Nigeria.
“Let us pray that God should gives us good leaders, it is when we have that, that we will get there. I am an incurable optimist. We have no choice, all has to be well.
“We are about 180 million now, contrary to the figure given by Prof. Okebukola. Our brothers and sisters in West Africa are worried, if half a million of Nigerians go to Ghana, we would overwhelm them. Even, United Kingdom is worried, they say if one million Nigerians go to Britain every year for ten years, we will have ten million Nigerians there.
“I don’t know why every young Nigerian would not have basic education, we have the resources and not that we don’t have it but our managers are not managing it well. We must think out of the box and act out of the box.
“You can suppress this as stated by General Martin Luther Agwai, it will later rear its ugly head. Unless basic education, security of lives and property and creating job opportunity for all our teeming youths are provided, we will be having recruit for Boko Haram in the next 15 years,” Obasanjo opined.
He however expressed satisfaction to all those who have worked with him while in office and others like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC national chairman, John Odigie Oyegun, who spoke at the occasion.
Obasanjo jokingly uttered,” when you have boys like Bola and John, this is what you get. I have said before that this is not a campaign ground rather a birthday celebration. They claimed to be smarter than their senior brother, may God continue to give you the wisdom to carry on,” he prayed.
In his own goodwill message, the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun revealed that he had predicted that Obasanjo will one day become the only leader that every Nigerians will be interested to listen to.
He showered a lot of encomium on the former president, whom he described as his boss and very good friend.
The former governor of old Bendel state recounted several encounter he had with the former president which threw the whole hall into a comic session.
He revealed that the party, APC had thought of issuing Obasanjo a membership card of the APC when he tore his PDP membership card but decided to allow the man enjoy his new status of elder statesman.
“My president, my boss, someone I admire and later became my friend. Somebody was tearing his card sometimes ago, leaders of our great party, APC hurriedly sat and said we should issue him our card but we decided against it. He has now become truly father of Nigeria. We will be demeaning him if we went to him and say here is APC card.
“Now, a father, a non partisan leader, first of its kind in the history of this country, one who we can all run to for advice. He is a kind of man that if he tells you well done, just go home and relax because if you have not done well, he will tell you to go to hell.
“Your Excellency Sir, if you can recollect, what I predicted over 20 years ago, it is now coming to reality. I told you then that you are the only leader everybody in this country will want to listen to. You should agree with me that, we all love you but you know where you are facing, where you are heading to and today and we are proud to have be part of this historic birthday for a great man who came from this side of the continent.
“You have done APC a very great good by leaving the PDP because we all know your worth and what you are up to. Now that you remain an elder statesman with no political party attached to you, you know our presidential candidate very well, you know what he stands for, you know what he can do and not do,” Oyegun said.
Reacting to all what people have been saying about him, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo thanked everyone who has came from far and near to rejoice with him.
Baba as he is fondly called then began dancing rigorously to the melodious music from the Nigerian Army band.
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There goes Obasanjo again blowing his filthy horn As if Nigeria was Eldorado during his time. To start with corruption Federal police ought to be adolidhed and each local government area fund hire and fire it's own police who will serve and protect local people not one which accounts to higher ups offsite.When federal and state crimes are prosecuted in totality in the jurisdiction where it occurs without reference to any outside entity and by people who have first hand knowledge of the deed justice will be served. While human establishments cannot be perfect, you can strive for perfection. We have no need to retain a police structure set up by absent British overseers who sought to coral natives to whom they were not accoutable. When the police in Nigeria fuck you up at a checkpoint who are you gonna call? You just pick up your clothes dust them off and go home.