ABUJA – Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has delivered a stark and urgent message about Nigeria’s future. He declared the nation is perilously “sitting on a keg of gunpowder.” This grave situation, he stated, is fueled by the escalating hardship and widespread poverty afflicting its citizens. The elder statesman’s core message is that he warns Nigeria poverty, hardship has reached a critical point.
Speaking at a leadership lecture hosted by Dele Momodu on Friday, Obasanjo expressed deep dismay at the country’s failure to tackle pervasive deprivation. “Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty,” he lamented. Drawing a powerful comparison, he pointed to China’s success in lifting 700 million people out of poverty, asserting that Nigeria possesses the potential to achieve similar feats if it commits to effective leadership and sound governance.
Leadership Deficit at the Heart of the Crisis
Obasanjo did not mince words when identifying the crucial factor for national recovery. He stressed that strong, responsible leadership is paramount to reversing Nigeria’s severe economic difficulties. “Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty,” he asserted with conviction. Furthermore, he added, “In all walks of life, we must have leaders whose characters display communality.” According to the former president, the root causes of persistent hunger and underdevelopment across Africa can often be traced back to a fundamental lack of vision and accountability among its leaders.
He issued a sobering caution: without a significant change in its current trajectory, Nigeria’s future remains dangerously precarious. The message that he warns Nigeria poverty, hardship is intensifying was a central theme of his address.
Education: The Key Weapon to Disarm Poverty
In Obasanjo’s view, education stands as the most vital long-term weapon in the fight against poverty. “To get it right, we must ensure no child is uneducated,” he passionately argued. He drew a direct and undeniable link between poverty and illiteracy. “Where there’s no education, invariably, there will be poverty,” he stated firmly.
Obasanjo concluded with a note of conditional hope. He believes that with a renewed commitment to integrity, discipline, and good governance, Nigeria can overcome its current challenges. Such a transformation, he suggested, would also restore Nigeria’s standing and earn the respect of the international community. “Until we banish poverty in Africa, international communities will not recognise us as a serious continent,” he added, emphasising that when he warns Nigeria poverty, hardship, it is a call for both national and continental change.
By Kayode Ojo
