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Nigeria on a keg of gun-powder – Obasanjo *Says, clueless leaders courting implosion
“We are living dangerously on a keg of gunpowder, driving more people into poverty through good policies poorly and thoughtlessly implemented or bad policy and no policy at all,” were the exact words of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday as he weighed in into the parlous stat of the nation, linking it to the poor quality of leadership in the country over the years.
Obasanjo, in a keynote address at the public presentation of a book titled, Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa, written by Olusegun Aganga, former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who had also served as Minister of Finance, on Monday in Abuja, took a critical look at the state of the nation.
Obasanjo, who regretted the rate at which the country’s leaders were pushing many citizens into poverty because of poor implementation of good policies, lamented that over the past 63 years, the country had not lived up to expectations as the much-taunted giant of Africa, thus disappointing the continent and the world, at large.
At the event which held inside the conference room of the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, virtually, said: “Even though Nigeria is a potential jewel of Africa, if you want to put it that way, we have never attained that position. Can you reclaim what you have never had or attained?
“Over the last 63 years, we have not lived up to expectations. We have disappointed ourselves; we have disappointed Africa; we have disappointed the black race; and we have disappointed the world. What Segun (Aganga) has tried to identify, itemise and recommend in his book is the way forward. But the beginning of charting a new course for ourselves is to admit our failure because we have not always put the round peg in the round hole.
“We are carried along by ego and emotion of self, selfishness and self-centeredness, ethnic and religious jingoism, with total lack of understanding of the world we live in and gross misunderstanding of what development entails and how to move fast and continuously on the trajectory of development.”
Identifying two major, though interrelated, factors for all-round development, he said: “These are peace and security, which we cannot achieve without justice, equity and inclusive society. And telling ourselves the truth, we have not done well on these scores in the recent past — in the last decade and a half.
“I will also point at the issue of education, where over 20 million children that should be in school are not in school. We do not need an oracle to tell us the consequences of that for tomorrow.”
The former president said skills acquisition, empowerment and employment of the youth seemed to be ignored or not appreciated, adding: “We do not need to look far for the remote causes of banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping and other organised crimes.
Commending Aganga for making an impressive contribution to the body of knowledge on Nigeria’s development annals, said: “You are welcome to the League of Authors on Nigeria’s development endeavours. I hope this will not be your last publication.”
Emphasising the need to harness Nigerian talents in the diaspora towards the development of the country, the former President, added: “The point I am making is that we have, both at home and in the diaspora, Nigerians who have attained world and best standard in their character, professions, attributes, performance and reputation in all walks of life. With such men and women, why are we underperforming at home?
“Aganga stands out as one of the best in these categories of best performers – home and away. The publication is a timely and relevant book for Nigeria, coming out of practical experience, exposure, professional understanding and interaction.
“I’m substantial responsibility for drafting Aganga into the noble Project Nigeria, which I did midway into my incarnation as leader of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007. I first met Segun while he was the Managing Director of Goldman Sachs in London, a very important position in the financial world. He was part of the Bank’s delegation that visited me in Abuja between 2004 and 2005 or thereabouts. Both of us connected, quite naturally when he was introduced as Segun.
“But more importantly, because I was highly impressed with his contributions during our discussions, I challenged Segun, who was a diasporan to get more involved, from his base in London, in our nation-building efforts here in Nigeria.
“I am pleased to indicate that my call considerably inspired Segun to establish the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), which was registered in the United Kingdom in 2006. NLI’s mission is to create a growing, global network of credible, accomplished community-spirited Nigerian leaders, committed to taking responsibility for driving positive change in Nigeria and Nigerian communities.
“Because of its lofty objectives, NLI attracted the support of many global and international organisations, including the World Bank, which mandated NLI to replicate the initiative in Rwanda. Our administration also invited NLI to conduct a programme for members of the government in April 2006. This background explains why in 2010, I gently hinted the then President Jonathan of the need for him to appoint Segun as his finance minister. I did not feel let down by Segun’s performance in the two portfolios that were assigned to him. I remain proud of him for his performance.
“Let me make a point here. I always look in and look out for men and women of intelligence, track record of performance, ability, love of Nigeria and humanity and love and fear of God and courage with humility and integrity to serve Nigeria. None of them is perfect nor a saint but all those that I have so recruited, particularly from the diaspora, have performed creditably well in government.
“Segun Aganga is one of them. So are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Lesley Obiora, Akin Adesina, Rilwanu Lukman, and Bayo Ogunlesi. There are others who secured international appointments after their services at the national level under my watch. Among such distinguished ones are Amina Mohammed, Babatunde Osotimehin, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, and Akin Adesina after he had initially been encouraged by me to serve at home.
“Here I have my first minor disagreement with Segun on this book. It is not in terms of the content, which I will come to later, but in terms of the title. Should it be Reclaiming or Claiming the Jewel of Africa? If we have not reached there, which we have not, our first assignment is to reach there. Not long ago, I decided to have on record the experiences of some of the Nigerian ambassadors from independence to date. One of the first set of ambassadors, Ambassador Ogunsulire, during the interview, recollected that at the first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly attended by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa for the admission of Nigeria as a member of the United Nations on October 7, 1960, Nigeria was referred to as Giant in the sun.”
The book, which offered a “blueprint for taking Nigeria and Africa from potential to posterity”, was launched by President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Wale Edun at the event, which was graced by many dignitaries, including former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who also addressed the gathering virtually; former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode Fayemi; former Director General, Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh; and former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo.
Jonathan, who congratulated Aganga on his effort in writing the book, describing it as a “special one because I know the capacity of the author, who worked closely with me in managing the economy of our country, under our administration, said: “Then, Aganga handled key portfolios in the economic sector, including the finance minister, chairman of the economic management team, and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. You could simply describe him as an insider on economic issues, in our administration.
“It is comforting that he has documented his experience in government and his substantial experience in global finance and economic management in this book.
“I am privileged to have seen the book before many of you because Aganga sent me a copy in advance. I will say that the book is a rich resource on development and a pathway to progress, focusing on the solutions Nigeria needs in order to unleash its greatness for the good of our people.
“Dr. Aganga at a point turned me into a marketing manager by travelling with me to at least 40 countries in search of foreign investment. I am glad that the venture and travels, which he captured in one of the chapters in the book, paid off, as our nation then became Africa’s first destination for foreign direct investment and one of the fastest growing economies at that time.
“It is not surprising that the book is already a bestseller, even before it was first publicly presented in London and now here in Nigeria. This is because of the unique character and personality of the author. Dr. Aganga has a great passion and desire for Nigeria and Africa’s development. I believe that for Dr. Aganga to pour that boundless passion into a book is to create a masterpiece. And he has been gracious enough to render it in a simple language that all of us can read and understand. I recommend the book to everyone as an important tool in our march to greatness.”
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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