Ex-President says Nigeria’s resources have been mismanaged

monjola sotubo

March 6, 2015 12:57 PM

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo also stated that many foreign countries were worried about Nigeria and its problems.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria is blessed with enough resources to take care of its citizens but these resources have been mismanaged.

Obasanjo also stated that many foreign countries were worried about Nigeria and its problems.

The former President stated this on Thursday, March 5, during celebrations to mark his 78th birthday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

“We are about 180 million now, our brothers and sisters in West Africa are worried and when they talk to me and I ask why they were worried, they always reply that, ‘if half a million Nigerians go to Republic of Benin, we will overwhelm them’,” Obasanjo said.

“If two million (Nigerians) go to Ghana… Even Britain is worried, they are worried. They said their problem is that if one million Nigerians go to Britain, they said in 10 years, there will be 10 million Nigerians in Britain and they will rather keep us here," he added.

“My concern is that we have too many think tanks, we need more of do tanks. The point is, we can do and we have no reason why we can’t do and we have also seen that one individual can make a difference,” the former President continued.

“There is no reason why any Nigerian child, at this point in time should not have a basic education, food and nutrition. Not only Nigerian child, no Nigerian should go to bed without food. We have the resources to achieve all that, that we are not achieving it does not mean we don’t have the resources. It is because we haven’t managed our resources well,” Obasanjo said.

“Employment, if all other things are right, there should be no reason for any Nigerian who wants to be employed not to have the opportunity for employment,” he added.

Obasanjo also warned that unemployed youths could become fodder for Boko Haram if care was not taken.

The former President kicked off celebrations for his birthday on Wednesday, March 4, with a novelty football march during which he scored two goals and received a golden boot.

monjola sotubo