Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has disclosed that there is no option for the next generation of Africans to relieve the continent of its huge debts.
It would be recalled that Obasanjo, as the country’s president in 2003, secured debt relief for Nigeria, as did his counterpart from Algeria during the same period.
In a release by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Wednesday, Obasanjo made this disclosure during an engagement with 2023 awardees of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation, an initiative of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
He noted that with the level of mismanagement of the previous debts written off for the country, it will be almost impossible for any administration to make similar gestures on the continent.
Obasanjo declared that the debts were a trap that no individual or nation should fall into, as they constitute an albatross for any economy.
The former president, who asserted that leadership was the number one problem facing the continent, said, “The coming generations will have no choice but to pay the current debt being incurred by different countries in the continent.”
He commended Pastor Oyakhilome for the efforts he put into building leaders, adding that the nation needs more people like him to address the leadership crisis facing the continent.
Highlighting the qualities of a leader during the questions and answers session, Obasanjo said, “A leader should be able to set good examples, be bold and courageous when making decisions, accept mistakes and learn from them, as well as have a realistic dream.”
In a related development, the former Obasanjo has assured that the country’s socio-economic situation could be better in another four years or thereabout, with prayers and thanksgiving.
He made this disclosure at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ogun State 5th Thanksgiving service of his conferment as the Asiwaju Onigbagbo, Ogun State, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The former president said that it was a clear indication that the socio-economic situation of the country is not in good stead, “but mercy has been with us, and if that is so, why should we not thank God?
“Think about it. If you have breathed the free air of God, you should have reason to thank God. So, things are bad; they may be good in a space of what…Four years? And who knows, for Nigeria, things that are bad today may be good tomorrow.
“That is our prayer, and that is why we must never stop thanking God. In all situations, give thanks to God,” Obasanjo told the congregation even as he burst into a joyful song.
The former President thanked brothers and sisters in the vineyard of God for their continuous and persistent prayers for the country, restating that at times like this, “it is such a difficult time. And when they are talking of being in fellow of mercy, “mine is more than a fellow of mercy; mine is a fellow of grace and mercy of God; any one that is not enjoying this should put up his hand. If that is so, why should we not thank God? He queried.
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, represented by the Deputy, Engr, Noimot Salako, former Governor, Sen. Gbenga Daniel, the Oluwu of Owu Abeokuta, Prof. Saka Matemilola and the Odole Oduaa, business Mogul who is also the Otun of Asiwaju Onigbagbo Ogun State, Chief Adebutu Kessington and Rev. Mother Ester Ajayi eulogized Obasanjo, noting that he is not only a leader in Nigeria, but, also a global phenomenal.