Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that his imprisonment by the late military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, could be seen as proof of the cost associated with principled positions.
Obasanjo described leadership as both a heavy burden and a
profound blessing.
The ex-President stated this in his keynote address at an
international colloquium titled ‘Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections
from Global Africa to the World’ held as part of activities to mark his 89th
birthday ceremony in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Obasanjo, according to a statement by his special assistant
on media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Wednesday, reflected on pivotal moments that
shaped his understanding of power, responsibility and service.
Recalling his role as Commander of the Third Marine Commando
Division during the Nigerian Civil War, Obasanjo said leadership often demands
solitary decisions whose consequences affect millions.
He noted that, in the final days of the war in 1970, he
chose restraint in order to prevent further civilian casualties — a decision he
said underscored the moral weight leaders must carry.
Obasanjo also described leadership as a rare privilege and
an opportunity to serve at defining historical moments, referencing Nigeria’s
first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule in 1979, when
he handed over to President Shehu Shagari, as one of the most fulfilling
decisions of his career.
On Africa’s development trajectory, Obasanjo argued that the
continent’s enduring challenges “stem less from geography or history and more
from governance failures. Africa, remains richly endowed with natural and human
resources but continues to suffer from weak institutions, corruption and
self-serving leadership”.
He called for deeper investment in leadership formation,
institutional strengthening and democratic accountability, stressing that
sustainable progress depends on systems that outlast individuals.
The former military head of state also urged African
governments to better engage the global African diaspora, describing it as an
underutilised asset capable of accelerating continental renewal.
Obasanjo concluded with a message of gratitude and faith,
reaffirming his belief in Africa’s long-term promise and urging the next
generation to embrace accountable, service-driven leadership.
“Africa is not a problem to be managed,” he said. “Africa is
a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept.”
The 89th birthday ceremony is expected to be rounded up on
Thursday with a lecture on the topic, ‘The Global African Enlightenment from
Chains to Renaissance’, to be delivered by Amb. Jean Robert Pillard, the
Haitian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotenciary, to be followed by
reception for guests at the OOPL, Abeokuta.
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