Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of poverty in the country, stating emphatically that Nigerians have no business being poor considering the abundance of natural resources, fertile land, and human capital Nigeria possesses. He made this remark while addressing guests at a special dinner event hosted in his honor by the Abia State Government at the Government House in Umuahia on Friday evening.
Obasanjo pointed out that Nigeria is a nation richly blessed by God in all aspects, from mineral wealth to a youthful, dynamic population, but remains trapped in a cycle of poverty largely because of bad governance and poor management of the country’s resources. He lamented that successive administrations have failed to effectively utilize the gifts nature bestowed on the country for the benefit of its people.
“Nigerians have no business with poverty because God has given us all that we need,” Obasanjo declared while addressing the gathering. “If we are mismanaging what God has given us, we do not have God to blame, we have ourselves to blame.” His words struck a chord with many in attendance, as they highlighted the long-standing governance and leadership challenges Nigeria continues to face.
In his address, the former president also took time to commend Governor Alex Otti of Abia State for his remarkable leadership since assuming office. He praised Otti for the visible developmental strides recorded under his administration and noted that the general public’s positive reactions are proof that his policies are working. Obasanjo encouraged the governor to sustain the momentum and continue delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Abia State.
Obasanjo went further to stress the need for a critical mass of competent and dedicated leaders across the country’s 36 states, asserting that if at least 18 governors were performing creditably, Nigeria’s overall situation would improve rapidly. He underscored the importance of good governance, transparency, and accountability, noting that these elements are essential for the nation’s progress and for its citizens to live decent, fulfilling lives.
“For me, whether you don’t greet me or I greet you and you don’t answer, what is important to me is that the people of this country are getting what they deserve, and what they deserve is good governance,” Obasanjo noted. His comments reflected his long-standing advocacy for reforms in Nigeria’s political system and his belief that the welfare of the people should always be the government’s top priority.
The former leader also recounted a notable incident from his presidency involving former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi. According to Obasanjo, during Amaechi’s time in office, he was unaware of a national railway development plan that had been developed earlier. The document had to be retrieved from the archives before rail transport infrastructure could be revived and expanded. Obasanjo used the anecdote to emphasize how lack of continuity and institutional memory has often hindered progress in Nigeria’s public sector.
In his response, Governor Alex Otti expressed sincere gratitude to Obasanjo for his words of encouragement and for always standing by him during his political journey. The governor recalled the many challenges he faced while pursuing his ambition to lead Abia State, noting that it took a decade of resilience, faith, and determination before he could finally assume the governorship.
“Once you have vision, you have to keep to it,” Otti remarked. “It took us ten years to get here. The two elections we contested from 2015 to 2019, we won clearly but they were all stolen.” He added that despite the setbacks and discouragement from some quarters, he remained steadfast because he was certain that his ambition was divinely inspired. “A lot of people had given up hope and said it wasn’t going to work, but I was sure that I heard clearly from God,” he said.
The dinner event in Umuahia brought together top government officials, traditional rulers, and other dignitaries, who hailed both Obasanjo’s enduring statesmanship and Otti’s ongoing efforts to transform Abia State into a model of good governance and development.