I’m too old to keep quiet, Nigeria now more divided – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the outcome of the 2023 general election has divided the country further and urged the incoming administration to explore all avenues at ending the ethnic division.

He stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a conference held under the theme “From Elections to Governance and Performance,” organised by Nextier and the Ibadan School of Governance and Public Policy.

The former president said he is now “too old to keep quiet” on national issues, stressing that he would continue to voice his concerns for the benefit of the nation.

He said the incoming government must work to facilitate national moral rearmament and reconciliation, following the divisiveness from the just concluded general elections.

According to Obasanjo, the move has the potential to bring about healing and to assuage Nigerian youths who were angered by the shortcomings of the elections.

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He said, “Given what we saw during the election, Nigeria is now even more divided and more corroded than we thought. This places a deep onus on any administration following the current one, to urgently facilitate the process of national moral rearmament and national reconciliation for the aggrieved and will lead us across Nigeria and to assuage the youth,” Obasanjo said.

“This must be done in sync with the imperative of national value orientation that Nigeria requires to build a collective sense of enduring and local values and national belonging.

“Let me conclude by stating clearly that I am now too old to keep quiet and watch Nigeria’s seemingly clueless launch into dystopia. All efforts are now required from all committed patriots to rescue the nation from the precipice. And when I look at the audience I have a feeling that among the people who can do it and who must do it are some of you here.

“It has become my own personal obligation, continuing in my relentless service as a letterman, dedicated in my twilight years to say the truth, as I see it, so as to push Nigeria in the direction of our collective aspirations. What is our collective aspiration? A better society where all Nigerians can become what the Almighty God destined [them] to be.

“At times like this, some of us have to adopt the attitude of being known to be blind and not being afraid of the dark. But we must continue to work for the light of all.”

He said governance in Nigeria now required thinking outside the box, to rescue the nation, in terms of its plunging economy and huge national debt burden, adding that there must also be the political will and action, as well as administrative efforts, to reform the public service, and turn it into a capability-ready unit.

I’m too old to keep quiet, Nigeria now more divided – Obasanjo