Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said the Nigerian state is failing and badly divided due to the recent mismanagement of the country.
Obasanjo made the comment in Abuja on Thursday while delivering a speech titled ‘Moving Nigeria Away from Tipping Over’ at a consultative dialogue attended by various socio-cultural groups, Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo and Pan Niger Delta Forum.
He blamed the current state of the country on poor management of the nation’s diversity and said for Nigeria to successfully tackle its challenges, the problem of disunity must first be addressed.
I do appreciate that you all feel sad and embarrassed as most of us feel as Nigerians with the situation we find ourselves in. Today, Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly divided state; economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country.
“And these manifestations are the products of recent mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of our country. Old fault lines that were disappearing have opened up in greater fissures and with drums of hatred, disintegration and separation and accompanying choruses being heard loud and clear almost everywhere.”
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Obasanjo said if Nigerians are ready to live together in understanding, mutual respect and love with equity, justice, inclusiveness while engendering sense of belonging and unity of purpose, internal issues of terrorism, organised crimes, banditry, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug, money laundering and corruption must be dealt with.
The former president further described the proposed review of the Nigerian constitution as a money-gulping activity and veritable source of waste without end.
One major problem, he said, is little or no dialogue as leaders keep old prejudices and biases. He also praised groups like the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) for openly posing the constitutional review as well.
“That ray of hope was somewhat manifested in the last 10 days or so when the Northern Elders Forum and Yoruba Summit Group complemented each other in their separate press releases on the Senate’s idea of inviting submissions from Nigerian public for constitution amendment which had been regular money-gulping activity by every National Assembly session since 1999, a veritable source of waste without end.
“I believe one of our major problems in the past was that we did not dialogue enough, we talk at ourselves and selfishly keep old prejudices and biases. If we show understanding, give-and-take, love of one another and commitment and love of the country, we will do what is right and stand firmly together for the good of all,” he said.
Obasanjo expressed optimism that the consultation among the several groups would enlarge the circle from the mini-dialogue group in bits until a national dialogue that could save Nigeria from disintegration was reached.
His comments come barely two weeks after the NEF opposed the proposed review of the Nigerian constitution by the Senate, describing it as a waste of time and resources.
The forum said the huge monetary allocation for the constitution review process since 1999 has made little or no meaningful impact on the lives of Nigerians.
