Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria, has urged the young people of his nation to cause good disruption and unease among those in positions of power who have let them down.
Additionally, he issued a warning, saying that leaders who do not fear God are dangerous and unreliable.
As a guest speaker for The Bridge Foundation’s Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship programme, Obasanjo made these statements on Thursday in Abuja.
As crucial traits of a successful leader, the former president counselled young people to acquire factual knowledge, diligence, integrity, and values.
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In addition, he exhorted them to love and trust Nigeria, stating that their nation was their only option. He asserted that if young people got engaged, Nigeria might overcome its obstacles and grow into a wonderful country if the youths get involved in everything.
“Knowledge is very important—accurate knowledge. You also need the fear of God and proximity to God. When you are a leader and you do not fear God, then you are a dangerous leader.
“Wherever you may choose, leadership is very important, and the principles are basically the same. A good leader must have certain characteristics. Knowledge is good, but not enough. How diligent are you? What is your level of integrity? What are the values that you cherish?” he said.
He added, “Let us get it right, and in two years we will forget everything. You have to get involved in everything.
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“You are the leaders of today; if you don’t take it now, you will never get it. You have to be positively disruptive; don’t accept things the way they are. You need to make those who need to be made uncomfortable uncomfortable.”
In addition, Obasanjo called for a national dialogue on Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that the nation needs to reconsider the nature and scope of its system. He claimed that a lot of people did not think highly of Nigeria and that young people should challenge and scrutinise the present quo.
He said, “What is Nigeria’s history in democracy? What is Nigeria’s value? What is our culture in democracy? Let us rethink the context and the content of our democracy. Let’s interrogate; let’s ask questions. If you don’t do it, who else will?
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“Many people don’t believe in Nigeria. Don’t let us deceive ourselves. If you don’t believe in Nigeria, what do you want to talk about? You need to believe in Nigeria. Every country has a history of how they came about. We have to accept that Nigeria is ours; we love it, and we cherish it. We have no alternative.”
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