Obasanjo Admits His Generation Did Wrong to Nigeria
Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has admitted that the older generation of leaders, to which he belong, had done a lot of wrong things to the nation.
He said this in an interview with historian, Toyin Falola, held virtually on Sunday.
He said Nigeria was in a deficit of leaders, urging youths to make it uncomfortable for the older leaders to remain in leadership positions.
According to him, “Whatever my generation might have done wrong— and I will be the first to admit that my generation has done a lot wrong— is for your (young) generation to do it better.
“Don’t just seat and complain; it is like the anger of a cripple. Be proactive. Get like-minded people that can say ‘we can bring about a change’.
“The old hands won’t voluntarily go out of the way. You have to make them go out of the way. Make it uncomfortable for them; not violence, but bringing pressure to bear.
According to Obasanjo, no matter what anyone wants to do, leadership needs to provide the right environment and incentive.
He said: “Nigeria has no scarcity of people to lift the country and Africa up. But Nigeria is deficit in leadership.”
He said the lack of understanding and knowledge of leadership has made it impossible for administrations to build on the achievements of their predecessors.
He pointed out that “After a government had made two steps of progress forward, the successors moved two steps to the side and one step backwards.”
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