Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that his outspokenness on national and international issues led to his detention in 1995 under the military administration of the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha.
Obasanjo said this at an interactive session with 15 young male and female future African leaders at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The young leaders were selected from across the continent as part of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation’s mentorship program, together with the ten winners of the Prestigious and Life Challenging Future Africa Leaders Awards.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former President recalled his prison experience, which he attributed to his unwillingness to remain silent on important topics.
Obasanjo recounted: “I joined the Army and at the age of 42, I finished my career as a military officer, but, what could I do? I was still young, energetic, and dynamic. So, I took to agriculture and during that time, I went into prison and that is not what I really wanted.
“Going into prison is really a challenge because I refused to keep quiet. For me, if there is anything to comment on, I did comment on them, and so, I landed in prison, and that is a challenge. And, when I came out from prison the situation was bad in the country that some people felt the need to be saved and pressure started coming.”
Obasanjo also discussed his choice to seek the presidency in 1999, emphasizing his wish to save Nigeria from collapsing. Addressing the subject of African debt, Obasanjo decried several African governments’ reckless debt growth, which he attributed to corruption.
He stated: “Most of the debts cannot be explained. Some are due to outright corruption.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli