In a powerful keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University, former President Olusegun Obasanjo highlighted the stark realities of Nigeria’s socio-economic and political landscape while expressing cautious optimism for the country’s future.
Although addressing the audience via a pre-recorded 25-minute video from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Obasanjo’s message resonated deeply as he detailed the nation’s current challenges.
The address, titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” was marked by Obasanjo’s candid assessment: “Nigeria’s situation is bad, as the world can see and understand.”
He stressed that pervasive corruption, immorality, and poor governance have been key drivers behind Nigeria’s woes, leading to “chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s leadership issues, Obasanjo revisited Chinua Achebe’s timeless critique from his 1983 work, The Trouble with Nigeria.
He agreed with Achebe’s assertion that “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” emphasizing that it is not the land or resources but rather the inability of leaders to exemplify responsible governance that perpetuates the nation’s crises.
This analysis, Obasanjo pointed out, remains relevant more than four decades later, especially amid widespread concerns of corruption and mismanagement.
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Obasanjo did not shy away from linking Nigeria’s current predicaments to a concept known as “state capture,” a term he defined with the help of the World Bank and Transparency International.
He described state capture as “one of the most pervasive forms of corruption,” where influential elites manipulate national policies, economic regulations, and the distribution of resources for personal gain.
He lamented how state institutions, from the legislature to the judiciary, have been compromised, highlighting that these acts undermine the public interest and favor select groups to the detriment of broader society.
“The purchase of national assets by political elites at bargain prices and the allocation of critical resources to regional and international interests must be stopped,” Obasanjo asserted.
He called for a robust framework of local and international laws to curb these practices, noting that unchecked state capture stunts economic development, compromises regulatory quality, and diminishes public trust.
Despite the grim assessment, Obasanjo expressed hope, suggesting that while the challenges are significant, Nigeria’s capacity for resilience should not be underestimated.
Drawing attention to comparative examples, he cited Singapore’s progress, attributing it to responsive leadership that invests in essential sectors such as healthcare and education.
The former president also paid homage to Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian literary giant, for whom the leadership forum was named.
Obasanjo praised Achebe’s enduring influence and the profound respect he commands within and beyond Nigeria. “Achebe was a great and distinguished Nigerian. Yale University may claim him as belonging to the world, but he is an African icon, first and foremost a son of Nigeria,” Obasanjo said, invoking Achebe’s revered moniker, “the Eagle on Iroko.”
Obasanjo’s remarks come at a time when Nigeria faces multifaceted challenges, including economic decline and governance issues that experts believe threaten to push the country towards further instability.
His speech served as both a critique and a call to action, emphasizing that a reawakening of responsible, ethical leadership is essential to turn the tide for Nigeria.