Obasanjo: Former Leaders Destroyed Nigeria
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:42 pmAmid scrambles for the presidency in 2007, President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday in Abuja pointed finger of guilt at past Nigerian leaders for what he called the virtual destruction of the nation and its people. The President said many of Nigeria's past leaders "squandered resources and opportunities and devalued our dignity".
He said many of the nation's leaders had over the years squandered resources and opportunities, mortgaged the future of the nation.
He then asked Nigerians to thoroughly interrogate candidates jostling for the nation's plum position and ensure that "we get the best".
According to him, "It is not the duty of leaders to create divisions amongst the people or incite violence to cover up failed actions or promote narrow interests; it is not the duty of leaders to promote parochialism and a culture of corruption and waste.
"In our very presence, the custodians of state power ran down institutions, made corruption an art, compromised the bureaucracy, disregarded the rule of law and made practically no effort to build the structures and institutions of democracy and good governance.
"Today, we are all reaping the negative results of this arrogance of power and misguided deployment of power, opportunities and resources", he said.
"A culture of constitutionalism must be deliberately encouraged and cultivated so that the values of constitutional governance get enshrined in the thoughts, pronouncements and actions of all citizens".
Obasanjo preached against violence and intolerance, saying these acts have never brought good to any people.
"We render women and children homeless, turn women into widows and innocent children into orphans; we destroy property that we worked so hard to construct or put together (and) I believe that if we commit to using religion for the common good and for the glory of our creator, our perspectives on life and our world will be different", he stated.
He therefore admonished leaders at all levels to have the qualities of compassion, sensitivity, humility, patriotism, loyalty, honesty, courage, vision, exposure and dignity.
Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who was present at the event, also presented a paper titled: "The Commonality of our Roots and the Foundation of Nation-Building".
Babangida, however, refused to talk to the press who besieged him at the end of the occasion for his possible reactions to the president's verdict and other issues.
As soon as he saw journalists walking towards him, he lifted a part of his "agbada" attire to cover his mouth, an indication that he was not ready to talk and an action that drew laughter from friends and associates around him.
He said many of the nation's leaders had over the years squandered resources and opportunities, mortgaged the future of the nation.
He then asked Nigerians to thoroughly interrogate candidates jostling for the nation's plum position and ensure that "we get the best".
According to him, "It is not the duty of leaders to create divisions amongst the people or incite violence to cover up failed actions or promote narrow interests; it is not the duty of leaders to promote parochialism and a culture of corruption and waste.
"In our very presence, the custodians of state power ran down institutions, made corruption an art, compromised the bureaucracy, disregarded the rule of law and made practically no effort to build the structures and institutions of democracy and good governance.
"Today, we are all reaping the negative results of this arrogance of power and misguided deployment of power, opportunities and resources", he said.
"A culture of constitutionalism must be deliberately encouraged and cultivated so that the values of constitutional governance get enshrined in the thoughts, pronouncements and actions of all citizens".
Obasanjo preached against violence and intolerance, saying these acts have never brought good to any people.
"We render women and children homeless, turn women into widows and innocent children into orphans; we destroy property that we worked so hard to construct or put together (and) I believe that if we commit to using religion for the common good and for the glory of our creator, our perspectives on life and our world will be different", he stated.
He therefore admonished leaders at all levels to have the qualities of compassion, sensitivity, humility, patriotism, loyalty, honesty, courage, vision, exposure and dignity.
Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who was present at the event, also presented a paper titled: "The Commonality of our Roots and the Foundation of Nation-Building".
Babangida, however, refused to talk to the press who besieged him at the end of the occasion for his possible reactions to the president's verdict and other issues.
As soon as he saw journalists walking towards him, he lifted a part of his "agbada" attire to cover his mouth, an indication that he was not ready to talk and an action that drew laughter from friends and associates around him.