NIGERIA: Obasanjo Says Leadership, Not Lack Of Resources, Is Nigeria’s Real Problem

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

Nigerian Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has reignited a national conversation on Nigeria’s economic woes.

He declared that the country’s persistent poverty is not due to lack of resources, but rather, due to poor leadership and mismanagement.

Speaking at a dinner in his honour hosted by Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Friday night, Obasanjo said Nigeria is too blessed to be poor.

He urged citizens to hold leaders accountable rather than blaming divine forces for the country’s woes.

“Nigerians have no business being poor. God has blessed us with everything we need. If we are not getting it right, then we must blame ourselves, not God,” the former president said bluntly.

His remarks, though laced with praise for Governor Otti’s transformative strides in Abia, were also a subtle but sharp critique of the national leadership landscape.

“If we had 18 governors performing like Otti, this country would be unrecognizably better,” Obasanjo added

He pointed to the visible improvements in infrastructure, education, and public service delivery in Abia under Otti’s watch.

Governor Otti, who rode to power under the Labour Party platform after a decade-long struggle, credited vision and divine conviction for his political perseverance. “They told us it couldn’t happen,” he said, recalling his failed attempts in 2015 and 2019.

“But I was sure that I heard clearly from God,” he added.

Otti’s comments added spiritual resonance to Obasanjo’s pragmatic position, together painting a picture of leadership driven by both purpose and performance.

Obasanjo, never one to shy away from historical context, reminded the audience of his intervention during the tenure of former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.

He recounted how Amaechi had been unaware of a national railway master plan, until Obasanjo advised him to consult the archives.

“I told him: go back to the archives, the plan is there. You got some of it right, some of it wrong, but the point is—leadership is not guesswork. It is planning, continuity and purpose,” Obasanjo said.

Rotimi Amaechi, also present at the dinner, turned his attention to the future, urging political actors in Abia to begin early mobilization for the 2027 elections.

He warned that the value of good leadership is often appreciated only after it’s lost.

“Let’s not wait to learn that lesson,” he said. “If we don’t begin now, we risk losing what we’ve built.”

He praised Obasanjo for his enduring relevance and visionary leadership, asserting, “No matter who is in Aso Rock, Obasanjo remains a reference point.”

The event, while centered in Umuahia, carried a national tone as leaders and stakeholders echoed the former president’s concerns about governance, accountability, and vision.

Senator Darlington Nwokocha and Representative Ginger Onwusibe joined in lauding Obasanjo for his commitment to Nigeria and expressed satisfaction at the direction of governance in Abia.