Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a stern warning over the escalating economic hardship in the country, declaring that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder due to worsening poverty, hunger and leadership failures.
Obasanjo made the damning remarks on Friday while speaking at the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture, where he decried the deteriorating living conditions of millions of Nigerians and challenged the political class to rise to the occasion.
“If China can lift 700 million people out of poverty, then Nigeria has no business with abject poverty,” the former president said.
Lamenting the deepening economic woes and lack of basic services, Obasanjo warned that the nation’s continued neglect of its vulnerable population could lead to social unrest. “If we don’t take responsibility, we all sit on a gunpowder keg,” he stated.
He emphasized that eradicating poverty and hunger on the continent requires deliberate and sustained investments in education and human capital development.
“Education is one of the tools we can use to banish poverty. Where there’s no education, invariably, there will be poverty,” Obasanjo said, stressing that no nation can prosper without prioritizing learning and leadership development.
The elder statesman further called for a new wave of visionary leadership rooted in discipline, integrity and inclusivity.
“In all works of life, we must have leaders whose characters display communality,” he said.
“Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty. There’s no human endeavour that does not thrive on good leadership.”
He urged policymakers to act urgently, warning that until African countries confront poverty head-on, they will continue to struggle for global relevance.
“Until we banish poverty in Africa, international communities will not recognize us as a serious continent,” Obasanjo added.
His comments come at a time when the cost of living crisis, youth unemployment, and food insecurity continue to worsen across Nigeria, with many citizens lamenting the government’s slow response to their plight.
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