Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a stark warning about Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis, declaring that the nation is “sitting on a keg of gunpowder” due to worsening poverty and failed leadership.
Speaking during a leadership lecture hosted by media entrepreneur Dele Momodu on Friday, Obasanjo lamented the widespread hardship experienced by millions of Nigerians, insisting that a country as resource-rich as Nigeria has no excuse for such levels of suffering.
ATTENTION: Click Here to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!l
“If China can lift 700 million people out of poverty, why can’t we? Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty,” the former president asserted.
Obasanjo pointed to quality education, integrity, and disciplined leadership as non-negotiable tools for national transformation. He emphasized that eradicating poverty begins with educating every Nigerian child and ensuring capable, honest leadership at all levels of government.
“To get it right, we must ensure no child is left uneducated. Leadership is the most critical ingredient in ending poverty,” he said.
In a broader warning, Obasanjo cautioned that unless Africa, and Nigeria in particular, takes decisive steps toward reform, the continent risks further marginalization in the global landscape.
About the Author
