“Until we banish poverty in Africa, international communities will not recognize us as a serious continent.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that Nigeria is “sitting on a keg of gunpowder” due to worsening hardship and poverty. He made the remarks during Dele Momodu’s leadership lecture on Friday, expressing deep concern over the economic plight of Nigerians. Obasanjo compared Nigeria’s poverty levels with China’s success in lifting 700 million citizens out of poverty.
Insisting that poverty can be eliminated, Obasanjo emphasized the role of leadership and education. “Education is one of the tools we can use to banish poverty. Where there’s no education, invariably, there will be poverty,” he said. He called for discipline, integrity, and good governance as necessary tools for progress.
The former president also stressed the need for leaders who possess a sense of “communality,” arguing that all sectors thrive on effective leadership. “To get it right, we must ensure no child is uneducated,” Obasanjo said. “Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty.”
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