Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday declared that many aspirants parading themselves for one political office or the other ahead of the 2023 general elections should be in jail.
Obasanjo also predicted that Nigeria might soon collapse into different countries if its citizens fail to unite.
The ex-President spoke at the international symposium organised to mark his 85th birthday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
He lamented that several politicians aspiring for political positions and their supporters should have been arrested, tried and jailed for corrupt practices if the anti-graft agencies had done their jobs diligently with the support of the judiciary.
The symposium was attended physically and virtually by eminent personalities, including President Paul Kagame (Rwanda); former President Nicéphore Soglo of Benin Republic; Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Prof Goski Alabi (Ghana); Ambassador Barry Desker (Singapore); Prof Juma Shabani (Burundi); Dr Mary Khimulu (Kenya); Dr Moussa Kondo (Mali); Prof Sarah Agbor (Cameroon); Anambra State Governor-Elect, Prof Charles Soludo, and a former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, among others.
Obasanjo, who spoke on the theme, ‘Africa Narrative with Nigeria Situation’, advised Nigerians to learn from the events of the past and put aside sentiments in choosing the next president of the country.
He said, “I cast a cursory look at some of the people running around and those for whom people are running around. If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission had done their jobs properly and supported adequately by the judiciary, most of them would be in jail.
“Any person who has no integrity in small things cannot have integrity in big things. Fixing Nigeria must begin on the principles of nation-building, not necessarily on emotion, sentiment, euphoria, ignorance, incompetence, ethnicity, nepotism, bigotry, sectionalism, regionalism, religion or class.
“The issues of security, stability, development, economy and our relationship within Africa and with the rest of the world can only be taken care of if we get the issue of nation-building right.
“We have a lot to learn from the events of the last almost 24 years and God is not to blame if we fail.
“It would appear that we are not getting our priorities right and that can spell doom for our country if we fail to do what we should do for nation-building in terms of fundamentals of equity, justice, common ideals, popular education, shared values, mutual respect and equality of opportunities anchored and propelled by leaders across the board that are persons of integrity, honour, morality, competence, great virtue, courage to do what is right, humility and ability to put a team together and work with them in selfless devotion and service with the fear of God.”
Obasanjo, who warned against the collapse of Nigeria into different countries, also called on Nigerians to speak with one voice and vote for a candidate that would bring development to the country.
The former President maintained that Nigeria would continue to face insecurity, economy and other challenges until Nigerians agree to speak with one voice.
Obasanjo however complained about alleged manipulation of election results in the country, warning that if the situation persists, Nigeria might go into extinction.
He said he had not endorsed any candidate for the 2023 presidency.
He said “I believe in principles before personalities. Taking personalities before principles is putting the cart before the horse, and for me, the major issue is how to progress Nigeria from a country to a nation.
“If in 2015 Nigeria was 75 per cent a country and 50 per cent a nation, today, Nigeria will not be more than 50 per cent a country and 25 per cent a nation. The task of reversing the trend is beyond one personality, one political party or all political parties; it is beyond professional and commercial politicians alone. It demands and requires all hands on deck.
“I mean Nigerians from all walks of life – politicians, community leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders, diplomatic leaders, leaders in the academia, leaders in all aspects of government life, and leaders in other aspects of the civil society.
“Nigeria is tottering and for as long as we continue to put the cart before the horse, it cannot be well. Or put another way, for as long as we continue to do the same thing over and over again, the result will not be different. If the drift is not halted, the remaining 25 per cent of Nigerian nation will be dissipated in no time and Nigeria will not be a country but countries and will never be possible to be a nation again. That will be a monumental tragedy for Nigeria, Africa, the black race and humanity.
“Since 1999, we have changed from one political party to another, we have manoeuvred and manipulated to the point that election results are no longer reflections of the will of the people and we seem to be progressively going back rather than going forward politically, economically and socially.
“We have activities without required actions and personnel to move us forward. If we continue in the same pattern of recycling, sweet-word campaigning, manoeuvring without substance of integrity, honesty, patriotism, commitment, outreach, courage, understanding of what makes a nation and what makes for development, we will soon have to say goodbye to Nigeria as a nation.” (Punch)
