Daud Olatunji
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed his imprisonment under the late military junta of Gen. Sani Abacha in 1995 to his refusal to stay silent on critical national and international issues.
Obasanjo, speaking during an interactive session with 15 young African leaders at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta over the weekend, explained that his outspoken nature often put him at odds with authority.
“My journey to prison started because I refused to keep quiet. If there was something to comment on, I did, and that landed me in prison,” Obasanjo said.
The session was organized by the Future Africa Leaders Foundation, which brought together 10 winners of the prestigious Future Africa Leaders Awards and other participants.
The former president, who settled into agriculture after retiring from the military at the age of 42, revealed that his eventual return to politics in 1999 was driven by a sense of duty to rescue Nigeria from disintegration.
“When I came out of prison, the situation in the country was bad. Some people felt Nigeria needed to be saved, and pressure started mounting on me to contest for the presidency,” he said.
Obasanjo urged the young leaders to adopt positive and transformative leadership roles for the continent.
He commended Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, founder of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation, for hosting the awards annually since 2013, describing it as a significant contribution to Africa’s growth.
“What Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has been doing is marvelous. Some might say it’s a drop in the ocean, but many drops make the ocean.
“I urge the beneficiaries to carry on the torch and spread the message of leadership, inspiring others and making an impact as African leaders of today,” he stated.
During the session, Obasanjo decried the reckless borrowing and corruption fueling Africa’s debt crisis.
Citing an instance in Nigeria where a loan was fully repaid despite the failure to clear the site for a proposed carpet industry, he described some debts as “unexplainable.”
“Most of the debts are either reckless or outright corruption,” Obasanjo lamented.
The Star Prize winner of the 2024 Future Africa Leaders Awards, Julian New Ariori from Benin Republic, expressed gratitude to Obasanjo for hosting the team.
She noted that the tour of the Presidential Library provided valuable insights and inspiration.
The young leaders, drawn from countries including Libya, Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana, were led by Pastor Sylvester Ebhodaghe, Head of Media and Government Relations at the foundation.
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