Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun
Obasanjo, has declared that there is no alternative to the leadership of
President Muhammadu Buhari; hence all hands must be on deck in giving
the necessary support to provide the ‘change’ the country desired.
The ex-leader who played host to the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at his residence in Abeokuta, also reflected on the country’s general elections noting that with the successful process, God loves the country.
Obasanjo, who was responding to the concerns of the students, led by the vice president of the union, Comrade Ogunkunade Oluwatoyin, particularly regarding fighting corruption and improvements in the standard of education and the economy, said:
“God forbid that this present democratic dispensation should fail, because we have no other alternative and that is why I said that the present administration should succeed. There is no excuse and that is why I am so concern about the success of this administration. Say whatever you like about me, I pray and I will work for the success of this government.”
“There is no alternative to democracy, the alternative to
democracy is even worse than the imperfection of democracy. I am a
victim of military regime, I was put in jail meant to be killed by
divine intervention I escaped. If there was democracy there might been
fair amount of trial. So I heard you, I note your request and has time
goes by when I do have opportunity in the community of leaders where you
want me to pass your message, I will deliver your message.”
On leadership, Obasanjo pointed that the issue of good leadership has no sine qua non, but is the collective effort of everyone.
“There is no individual who is sine qua non. There is no angel, for me there is no messiah except Jesus Christ, but there are leaders who are concerned about what is happening in this country, leaders that are so passionate about this country and who are ready to stick out their neck for this country and God has given us such an individual as the president of the country.
“What has happened is an indication that change has come and that our dreams may come true. But all that is required of everyone, young and old, youths and even students is to give unalloyed support to the government and where we believe that we should give criticism that is objective and positive we should give.
“For me these points that you have made about what is going on in this country, about corruption, about the economy, about security, we all know these and that is why some of us prepared to stick out our neck to achieve change because most of these things have not been addressed for the past six years how can anybody tell us that they will be addressed the next four years?
“But now we have seen a ray of hope, so i will say let us encourage where we need to encourage, let us be objective where we need to be objective, let us show solidarity where we need to show solidarity.
“Nobody is too young or too old to give meaningful contribution, even what you are doing here is part of it, but do not limit it here, let us take it to them, those at the Senate, House of Representatives, those at the State level men and women of goodwill in this country,” he said.
Obasanjo also spoke on youth employment, which to him has always been a serious concern. “There is no employment for the youths in this country. We have 150 universities, somebody told me that we can admit about 7000 students in a year but those who seek admission into the university probably double that number but whatever it is if we admit 7000 students into the universities every year we are creating half a million jobs we are not even creating a quarter of a million jobs and that for me is where the problem lies.”
“We need to be mindful of job creation and wealth creation, it does not matter what university you went to, you must be mindful that job creation and wealth creation to the next generation.
“If you don’t have a target about the actions that you are about to take then you do not have anything to work up to. I believe that having a target is necessary and even if you can not meet that target your people have something to work up to and if a target is set that is the way we do in the military.
“Let me give the history of the Nigeria civil war, I was one of those who did the appreciation of the war and wrote the order we thought that war would end in six months and we make a plan for six months, but the war took 30 months but you can not just leave it open, it must be an open ended, now fix a target and then those who are to carry it out they know that they have time and space within which to work.”
The ex-leader has praised the current administration for their efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency by November 2015.
The ex-leader who played host to the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at his residence in Abeokuta, also reflected on the country’s general elections noting that with the successful process, God loves the country.
Obasanjo, who was responding to the concerns of the students, led by the vice president of the union, Comrade Ogunkunade Oluwatoyin, particularly regarding fighting corruption and improvements in the standard of education and the economy, said:
“God forbid that this present democratic dispensation should fail, because we have no other alternative and that is why I said that the present administration should succeed. There is no excuse and that is why I am so concern about the success of this administration. Say whatever you like about me, I pray and I will work for the success of this government.”
Former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo
On leadership, Obasanjo pointed that the issue of good leadership has no sine qua non, but is the collective effort of everyone.
“There is no individual who is sine qua non. There is no angel, for me there is no messiah except Jesus Christ, but there are leaders who are concerned about what is happening in this country, leaders that are so passionate about this country and who are ready to stick out their neck for this country and God has given us such an individual as the president of the country.
“What has happened is an indication that change has come and that our dreams may come true. But all that is required of everyone, young and old, youths and even students is to give unalloyed support to the government and where we believe that we should give criticism that is objective and positive we should give.
“For me these points that you have made about what is going on in this country, about corruption, about the economy, about security, we all know these and that is why some of us prepared to stick out our neck to achieve change because most of these things have not been addressed for the past six years how can anybody tell us that they will be addressed the next four years?
“But now we have seen a ray of hope, so i will say let us encourage where we need to encourage, let us be objective where we need to be objective, let us show solidarity where we need to show solidarity.
“Nobody is too young or too old to give meaningful contribution, even what you are doing here is part of it, but do not limit it here, let us take it to them, those at the Senate, House of Representatives, those at the State level men and women of goodwill in this country,” he said.
Obasanjo also spoke on youth employment, which to him has always been a serious concern. “There is no employment for the youths in this country. We have 150 universities, somebody told me that we can admit about 7000 students in a year but those who seek admission into the university probably double that number but whatever it is if we admit 7000 students into the universities every year we are creating half a million jobs we are not even creating a quarter of a million jobs and that for me is where the problem lies.”
“We need to be mindful of job creation and wealth creation, it does not matter what university you went to, you must be mindful that job creation and wealth creation to the next generation.
“If you don’t have a target about the actions that you are about to take then you do not have anything to work up to. I believe that having a target is necessary and even if you can not meet that target your people have something to work up to and if a target is set that is the way we do in the military.
“Let me give the history of the Nigeria civil war, I was one of those who did the appreciation of the war and wrote the order we thought that war would end in six months and we make a plan for six months, but the war took 30 months but you can not just leave it open, it must be an open ended, now fix a target and then those who are to carry it out they know that they have time and space within which to work.”
The ex-leader has praised the current administration for their efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency by November 2015.
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