Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said lack of good leadership and not God is responsible for the nation’s woes.
He also said that the present generation of leaders had failed the country because they lacked the focus and commitment to move the nation forward.
Obasanjo, who identified bad leadership as one of the problems confronting the country, noted that his generation might have failed in raising Nigeria to where it should be but said they (his generation) had fared well in keeping Nigeria united under a stable democratic dispensation.
Obasanjo spoke as chairman of the 38th Kaduna International Trade Fair’s Seminar with the theme, ‘Promoting Public Private Partnership as Panacea for Accelerated Growth and Development,’ organised by Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture on Monday.
He added that Nigerians must learn to stop blaming God for the nation’s woes, saying “let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.”
Obasanjo stated that if Nigerians should pray to God, “our prayer should be that God should not take away all He has given to us as a nation.”
This, the former President said, was because God had given Nigeria everything it needed to be great but for the leadership problem bedeviling the country.
He said, “God in His mercy has given us all the needed resources, both human and natural, but we have not been able to put them together and manage them effectively. The countries that have developed and are performing better are not better than Nigeria in terms of resources.
“One problem that must be corrected is the problem of leadership. This is because our leaders lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues, hence we have not been able to achieve meaningful result.”
Obasanjo added, “Somebody came to me and said we need to pray to God and I said, for what? He said, ‘so that God can do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves.’ And I said, no, let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.”
He also said that the present generation of leaders had failed the country because they lacked the focus and commitment to move the nation forward.
Obasanjo, who identified bad leadership as one of the problems confronting the country, noted that his generation might have failed in raising Nigeria to where it should be but said they (his generation) had fared well in keeping Nigeria united under a stable democratic dispensation.
Obasanjo spoke as chairman of the 38th Kaduna International Trade Fair’s Seminar with the theme, ‘Promoting Public Private Partnership as Panacea for Accelerated Growth and Development,’ organised by Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture on Monday.
He added that Nigerians must learn to stop blaming God for the nation’s woes, saying “let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.”
Obasanjo stated that if Nigerians should pray to God, “our prayer should be that God should not take away all He has given to us as a nation.”
This, the former President said, was because God had given Nigeria everything it needed to be great but for the leadership problem bedeviling the country.
He said, “God in His mercy has given us all the needed resources, both human and natural, but we have not been able to put them together and manage them effectively. The countries that have developed and are performing better are not better than Nigeria in terms of resources.
“One problem that must be corrected is the problem of leadership. This is because our leaders lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues, hence we have not been able to achieve meaningful result.”
Obasanjo added, “Somebody came to me and said we need to pray to God and I said, for what? He said, ‘so that God can do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves.’ And I said, no, let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.”
Controversial papa here u go again oo.
ReplyDeletehmmmmm. true talk
ReplyDeleteGod has given so much to Nigeria but the major thing killing us is greed... There has been so much looting from Nigerians to other parts of the world. Rather than develop Nigeria, they prefer to loot Nigerian treasure.
ReplyDeleteI believe God knows everything
And you are part of the bad leadership.
ReplyDeleteyes he was part of the problem but very true words..many of them today lack true understanding of leadership..which should be our main focus now to build on
ReplyDeleteYea I agree with you, you inclusive
ReplyDeletefor me i will take the massage and leave the massenger
ReplyDeleteThe master of corruption is speaking.
ReplyDeleteVery true.
ReplyDeleteYou are part of the bad leader, in fact you are their mentor
ReplyDeletewe the youth no blame on social media only
ReplyDeleteWere u not part of them,all our past leaders are corrupt.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely agreed with OBJ
ReplyDeleteBad leadership and selfish politicians are the two factors affecting the nation's development
ReplyDeleteB4 nko, all our present/past leaders n people in government flopped seriously..
ReplyDeleteSo Baba himself know that our problem is bad leadership, and did Baba know that he is part of the leaders.
ReplyDeleteSure
ReplyDeleteNo Baba, we must continue to pray.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that we are bedeviled by poor leadership as you rightly pointed out, our challenge goes beyond that; it is deep distrust and lack of national coherence as a people. Election on the basis of where you are from will never provide good leadership. This is the bane of our stunted growth. Please Baba we should endeavour to state the whole issues so that we can truly find solutions.
Honestly, from the way Nigeria is structured today, we will never have a true nationalist and all past leaders including Baba himself stands responsible for the current poor leadership. I just hope that he will be honest to admit this bitter truth hence the need to ask God to touch our policy formulators, past and present leaders to allow God lead them. Indeed, we need prayers.
Baba Sege, you they among the bad leaders ooo.
ReplyDeleteIts not in he's place to make such statement! Its like abacha stove calling the pot black.
ReplyDeleteHe is their chief.... He gave the senators excess powers.... and still lost the bid for 3rd term he craved for...
ReplyDeleteNa today??? Who no know? Shior!
ReplyDelete