Former President Obasanjo Blasts Tinubu: Leadership Failures Have Led To Disunity

Former President Obasanjo Blasts Tinubu: Leadership Failures Have Led To Disunity

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sharply criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of fostering insecurity, chaos, and disunity in Nigeria. Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut,...CONTINUE READING…

Obasanjo described the country’s current state as “confirmed and glaringly evident for every honest observer.”

In a statement released by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo expressed growing concerns over Nigeria’s governance under Tinubu, referring to the president with critical terms like “Baba-go-slow” and “Emilokan,” which have become popular phrases among critics of his leadership style.

Addressing the leadership failures, Obasanjo stated, “Nigeria’s situation is dire. The more a nation is plagued by immorality and corruption, the deeper it sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, and underdevelopment.” He emphasized that the nation’s deteriorating state is directly tied to pervasive corruption, mismanagement, and injustice under the current administration.

Obasanjo echoed sentiments from Chinua Achebe’s 1983 classic The Trouble with Nigeria, asserting that the core problem of the nation lies in the failure of leadership. He argued that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the people or resources of Nigeria; rather, it is the failure of leadership to rise to the challenge and set an example for the nation.

He also pointed to state capture as a form of pervasive corruption in Nigeria, where powerful elites manipulate the country’s policies and legal frameworks to serve their own interests. Obasanjo warned that this “state capture” undermines public institutions and hinders the nation’s development.

Referencing renowned scholars Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, Obasanjo highlighted Nigeria’s precarious position, calling it a “failed state” with critical implications for Africa’s peace and prosperity.

In conclusion, Obasanjo stressed that the leadership crisis in Nigeria is compounded by a lack of accountability and the unchecked influence of special interest groups. He called for urgent reforms to address these systemic issues and prevent further deterioration of the country’s governance and institutions.