Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised serious concerns about the deepening economic hardship and rising poverty in Nigeria, warning that the country is “sitting on a keg of gunpowder” if urgent measures are not taken to address widespread suffering.
Obasanjo issued the warning on Friday during a keynote speech at the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture Series, where he strongly criticised the persistent failure of leadership in tackling poverty and underdevelopment in Africa’s most populous nation.
“Leadership Is Key to Ending Poverty”
The former Head of State stated that education, visionary leadership, and good governance are critical to lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
“Education is one of the tools we can use to banish poverty. Where there’s no education, invariably, there will be poverty,” Obasanjo said.
He stressed that the leadership class must embody “communality” — a sense of shared purpose and responsibility — in order to deliver meaningful change.
“Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty. There’s no human endeavour that does not thrive on leadership. To get it right, we must ensure no child is uneducated,” he added.
Nigeria Has No Business with Poverty – Obasanjo
Citing China’s feat of lifting over 700 million people out of poverty, Obasanjo argued that Nigeria has the potential to do the same — if it embraces integrity, discipline, and focused leadership.
“We can do it. If China can lift 700 million people out of poverty, then Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty,” he said.
“If we don’t take responsibility, we all sit on a keg of gunpowder,” Obasanjo warned, urging urgent reforms and investment in people-centric policies.
Call for Africa’s Global Respect
The elder statesman also emphasized that Africa must eradicate poverty to earn global respect.
“Until we banish poverty in Africa, the international community will not recognize us as a serious continent,” he concluded.
Obasanjo’s comments come amid heightened economic hardship, rising inflation, and growing public discontent, as millions of Nigerians continue to battle with the cost of living and dwindling purchasing power.
