Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has voiced his concerns over the nation’s progress, stating that Nigeria’s development is hampered by inconsistent leadership and a lack of collective will.
He made these remarks on Friday while receiving a delegation of lawmakers from the House of Representatives at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Obasanjo, known for his frank and sometimes controversial opinions, described Nigeria as a country that often makes progress only to revert to its previous state.
“In another 10 years, we need to consolidate what we have achieved, and in 25 years, we will be there. Our problem is that we take two steps forward and probably two steps backward, and that won’t get us anywhere,” Obasanjo said.
The meeting, led by Ugochinyere Ikenga, the representative for Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, included other lawmakers such as Abdulmalik Danga from Adavi/Okehi, Usman Midala from Askira-Uba/Hawul, Peter Aniekwe from Anambra East/West, and Kama Nkemkanma from Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo.
The lawmakers discussed issues such as the introduction of a single-term presidency, nationwide elections held on the same day, and the rotation of power between the North and South.
However, Obasanjo suggested that these proposals alone would not address the underlying problems facing the country.
He said; “In the African system, we typically work through consensus. We need to join hands to make things work. If we get it right, whether we have a single six-year term Presidency or two four-year terms, we need to work on our mentality.
“We have to decarbonize our brains. Our main problem is ourselves. Until we address our own issues, the length of office terms won’t matter.
“If the same people with the same mentality are in power, nothing will change. Our starting point is ourselves,” the ex-President added.
