Hardship: Why Nigeria Remains Backward, Obasanjo Gives Reason, Proffers Solution

• Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed that bad leaders hindered the nation's growth and progress
• Obasanjo believed that if the country could get its leadership right at every level, all other things would work
• The elder statesman spoke at the 2024 edition of the Leadership Empowerment International Conference (LEIC) held in Abeokuta

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria's socio-economic and political situations have remained stagnant because of a leadership deficit.

Obasanjo: "Self-centred leaders should give way"

Amid the current economic hardship occasioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's economic policies, Obasanjo noted that the only way out for Nigeria to experience growth, is for “self-centred” leaders to give way.

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The former president made this assertion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday, August 17, as a special guest of Honour at the Leadership Empowerment International Conference, Channels TV reported.

According to him, for Nigeria to progress from its present dilemma, the present crops of those he labelled “self-centred leaders” occupying offices at all levels of governance must loosen their hold on the country.

As reported by ThisDay, Obasanjo said the country is presently plagued at all levels by a band of self-centred leaders who are deficit of knowledge, bereft of understanding and demonstrating a leadership style that does not see service as the centrepiece for development.

Speaking further, he challenged Nigerians to seek, by all means possible, an end to the culture of enthroning transactional leaders as against transformational leaders who will deliver good governance.

“And if you ask me in one word, what is the bane of Nigeria today? I will not think about it twice. I will say it is leadership.

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“If we can get the leadership right, we will get all other things right.”

In early June 2024, Obasanjo stated that the country was becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, and complex.

As reported by The Punch, he added that insecurity had rendered Nigeria a dangerous place, marked by suffering and hunger.

Read more about Obasanjo's story:

• Obasanjo finally reacts to claim his father is Igbo
• “Fuel subsidy is back,” Obasanjo alleges in viral interview, details emerge
• Igbo Must Go Hashtag: Obasanjo breaks silence, “We own this country together”

Hardship: "Nigeria sitting on keg of gunpowder", Obj tells Tinubu

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Obasanjo described the situation of Nigeria as a country 'sitting on a keg of gunpowder', following the spate of hardship in the country.

This was as he said that Nigeria will not make meaningful progress unless both leaders and citizens adopt what he referred to as “moral rearmament.”

Source: Legit.ng