Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has pointed to self-centered and uninformed leadership as the primary reason for Nigeria’s stagnation and underdevelopment.
Speaking at the Leadership Empowerment International Conference (LEIC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, Obasanjo emphasized that Nigeria’s progress is being hindered by leaders who lack the knowledge and commitment needed to serve the country effectively.
During his address, Obasanjo, who was Nigeria’s first democratically elected president in 1999, stressed that leadership is a lifelong responsibility.
“There is no end to leadership and service to your community until you take your last breath,” he stated.
He added that leaders should never stop contributing to their communities, countries, and the world at large, regardless of their age.
Obasanjo did not mince words when he identified poor leadership as the core issue plaguing Nigeria.
“If you ask me in one word what is the bane of Nigeria today, I will not hesitate. I will say it is leadership. Leadership that is self-centred, leadership that lacks knowledge and understanding, and leadership that does not view service as the core of what leadership is about,” he asserted.
He further explained that solving the problem of poor leadership would lead to improvements in other areas of national life.
“If we can get the leadership right, we will get all other things right,” Obasanjo said, commending LEIC’s efforts to promote and instill good leadership across all levels of society.
Obasanjo’s comments come just a few months after he warned that Nigeria was becoming increasingly unstable and dangerous due to rising insecurity. In June 2024, he highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that insecurity had created an environment of fear, suffering, and hunger in the country.
“We have resources in Africa; we have 70 per cent of the world’s copper. Japan has no mineral resources. Singapore is even worse—no resources!” Obasanjo remarked, illustrating how countries with fewer natural resources have prospered due to effective leadership.
He argued that without strong leadership, Africa’s abundant resources would remain untapped and unutilized, leaving the continent mired in poverty and instability.
He further stressed the importance of leadership in Africa, stating, “We can’t create an Africa of hope, prosperity, free from oppression, and characterized by security, peace, and visionary leaders without effective leadership.”
The Leadership Empowerment International Conference, where Obasanjo made these remarks, also saw the conferment of honorary doctorates in leadership upon 25 distinguished Nigerians.
The South Africa-based Immanuel Theology Institute International, in collaboration with the Priesthood Leadership Development Initiative Inc., awarded these honors. Among those recognized were former Ogun State Commissioners Anthony Ojeshina, Kehinde Sogunle, and Dele Obadina, among others.