According to Vanguard News, the former president Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that poverty should have no place in Nigeria, considering the abundance of natural and human resources the country possesses.
Speaking at a dinner hosted in his honour by the Abia State Government on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia, Obasanjo lamented the poor state of the nation despite its vast wealth.
Nigerians should not be living in poverty because God has blessed us with everything we need,” he said. “If we fail to properly manage what we have been given, then we have only ourselves to blame, not God.”
He went on to commend Governor Alex Otti for his developmental strides in Abia, noting the widespread recognition and approval of his administration’s performance.
Obasanjo highlighted the governor’s positive influence on the state’s governance and encouraged him to stay on track with his reforms and policies.
If we had at least 18 governors like Otti who are committed and performing effectively, we would be able to build a stronger and better Nigeria,” he added.
Reaffirming his concern for citizens’ well-being, Obasanjo stressed the importance of good governance in improving the lives of Nigerians.
To me, it doesn’t matter whether you greet me or not. What truly matters is that the people of this country get the good leadership they deserve,” he said.
Reflecting on past leadership experiences, Obasanjo recounted an instance where he offered guidance to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi. He revealed that Amaechi had been unaware of an existing national railway development blueprint and had to be referred to the archives to access it.
Even if someone doesn’t like me, I won’t hesitate to offer advice as I did when you served as transport minister,” Obasanjo said. You weren’t aware that a national railway master plan already existed, one that aimed to connect all state capitals. I advised you to check the archives, and you found it there.
He Said; “I believe that even if you don’t like me if I have pieces of advice to give you, as I did when you were Minister for Transport, I will give the advice.
As minister, you got some things right, but you also got some things wrong.”
Governor Otti, in his address, expressed appreciation for Obasanjo’s support and emphasised the importance of vision and determination in leadership.
He recounted the challenges he faced over the course of a decade-long political struggle that eventually brought him into office.
When you have a vision, you must stick with it,” he said. “It took us ten years to get to this point. We clearly won the 2015 and 2019 elections, but the results were manipulated.
Many people lost hope and thought it wouldn’t happen, but I held on firmly because I was sure of God’s direction.”
He also mentioned that his government had launched far-reaching reforms in the education sector, aimed at ensuring greater access to quality education across Abia State.
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