We’re living dangerously on keg of gunpowder – Obasanjo

We’re living dangerously on keg of gunpowder – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented the high level of poverty in Nigeria, declaring that the nation is sitting on the keg of gunpowder.

Indeed, he said the country had not only disappointed itself for failing to live up to expectations but the rest of Africa and the world.

Obasanjo disclosed this in Abuja on Monday while virtually delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of the book titled ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa’ written by a former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga.

“We do not need to look far for the remote causes of banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping and other organised crimes,” he said.

Obasanjo also said, “Over the last 63 years, we have not lived up to expectations. We have disappointed ourselves; we have disappointed Africa; we have disappointed the black race; and we have disappointed the world.”

He said the skill acquisition, empowerment and employment of youth had largely been neglected or misdirected.

“We are living dangerously on a keg of gunpowder, driving more people into poverty through good policies poorly and thoughtlessly implemented or bad policy and no policy at all,” he stated.

“I will also point at the issue of education, where over 20 million children that should be in school are not in school. We do not need an oracle to tell us the consequences of that for tomorrow,” Obasanjo stated.

He however declared that “what Segun (Aganga) has tried to identify, itemise and recommend in his book is the way forward.

“But the beginning of charting a new course for ourselves is to admit our failure because we have not always put the round peg in the round hole.

“We are carried along by ego and emotion of self, selfishness and self-centredness, ethnic and religious jingoism, with total lack of understanding of the world we live in.”

The former President further identified two of the major issues that were interrelated in terms of factors for all-round development.

“These are peace and security, which we cannot achieve without justice, equity and inclusive society. And telling ourselves the truth, we have not done well on these scores in the recent past—in the last decade and a half.”

The book was unveiled by President Bola Tinubu through his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Olawale Edun.

The event witnessed a large turnout of past and current senior government officials, with former President Goodluck Jonathan also speaking virtually.