In a keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University on November 15, 2024, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called attention to the deep-seated leadership crisis in Nigeria and urged comprehensive reforms to address the country’s governance challenges......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Speaking on the theme “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo revisited Chinua Achebe’s timeless observation in “The Trouble with Nigeria”: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” He argued that leadership failure remains the root cause of Nigeria’s challenges, compounded by systemic risks such as election fraud, terrorism, and widespread corruption.
Obasanjo expressed concern over Nigeria’s economic decline, highlighting the drop in GDP from $510 billion in 2014 to $199 billion in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund. In contrast, he noted that during his administration, Nigeria’s GDP growth averaged 6.59%, peaking at 15.3% in 2002, driven by reforms in telecommunications, banking, and pensions, as well as debt relief initiatives.
Referencing observations from political scientists, Obasanjo identified bribery, intimidation, and violence as factors enabling unqualified individuals to ascend to leadership positions. He called for a governance system that prioritizes integrity, competence, and voter education.
Describing the 2023 elections as “a travesty,” Obasanjo outlined measures to restore public trust in Nigeria’s democratic processes, including legal amendments to strengthen electoral laws, administrative reforms to ensure the credibility of electoral officials, and technological safeguards to protect election outcomes. He criticized the misuse of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 elections, attributing the failure to deliberate human interference rather than the technology itself.
Obasanjo emphasized the importance of education as a foundation for democratic participation and leadership, quoting Nelson Mandela’s assertion that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” He echoed Achebe’s belief that a functioning democracy requires an educated electorate and morally grounded leaders.
In his concluding remarks, Obasanjo warned of the consequences of inaction and urged Nigerians and the global community to tackle the country’s leadership and governance crises head-on, describing Nigeria as too important to fail due to its critical role in Africa’s peace and prosperity.
The former president’s address, delivered to an audience of global policymakers, academics, and thought leaders, served as both a critique of Nigeria’s current trajectory and a call to action for comprehensive reforms to address the nation’s leadership challenges.