Nigeria, according to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has let the African continent and the world in general down.
This was said by Obasanjo in Abuja while delivering the keynote speech at the launch of the book "Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa," written by Olusegun Aganga, a former minister of industry, trade, and investment who also held the office of minister of finance.
The book was unveiled by President Bola Tinubu in person through his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Olawale Edun.
Obasanjo said, “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.”
He, however, added that “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.”
Obasanjo recognized two pressing problems that were linked in terms of contributing to overall development.
“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,” Obasanjo said.
According to the former president, youth employment, skill development, and empowerment appear to be neglected or undervalued.
“We do not need to look far for the remote causes of banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping and other organised crimes.
