[size=14pt]Nigeria has not failed, says Obasanjo[/size]


FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has disagreed with some Nigerians that the country has failed after 51 years of its political independence.

Obasanjo does not also subscribed to the notion the security challenge facing the country must solely be addressed by the Federal Government.

He appealed to Nigerians to stop shifting the blame of insecurity on the agencies and the political leadership, insisting that it is the business of all the citizens.

The Nigerian leader spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital when he paid a condolence visit to the National Vice Chairman (South West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, over the death of his father.

According to him, the perception by the some citizens that Nigeria at 51 has not fared well is misplaced, declaring that the country had made remarkable progress.

He noted that in 1960 when the country gained political independence, there was only one university, the then University College, Ibadan and now the nation’s tertiary institutions had multiplied.

Obasanjo said what Nigeria should do is to think about how to provide gainful employment for the millions of graduates roaming the streets.

He said he is often amused when he hears people say negative things about the development pace in the country, adding that he remains one of the incurable optimists who would always see something good in Nigeria as a nation.

“There are areas that we have done fairly well, yet there are other areas that we haven’t done well but on the whole, as far as I’m concerned, I thank God for Nigeria.”

He refused to comment on the on-going pan-Yoruba national conference in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Citing the attack of the twin towers in the United States of America (USA) by the Al-Qaeda, Obasanjo noted that no country in the world enjoys absolute security.

“I think the most powerful country in the world is the United States of America (USA) but 9/11 proved to us that with atomic bombs and myriad of satellites, the America is still vulnerable.”

According to him, what is paramount in the current security situation is for Nigerians to identify the cause(s) of what gave rise to the sophisticated violence being launched on the nation by the Boko Haram group.

He urged Nigerians to emulate the Americans who did not blamed the authorities or individuals for the 9/11 attack but rally together to condemn and fight terrorism.

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Old age is setting in.

Baba Iyabo my main mentor

Nigeria has not failed, says Obasanjo

. . . . .and my y'nash is not black.