₦airaland Forum

Olusegun Obasanjo came into office in 1999 with the weight of history on his shoulders.

A former military ruler.
Now a civilian president.
Back to power at a time when Nigeria was trying to breathe again after years of dictatorship, decay, and doubt.

People hoped he would set the tone.
That he would open a new chapter.
And in some ways, he did.

He gave us stability.
He retired old generals and gave democracy a fighting chance.
He brought Nigeria back to the global stage.
Our phones started ringing with GSM lines.
And for once, we saw hope in policies like debt relief and new banks with stronger legs.

He even created agencies like the EFCC to chase down corruption.
People began to whisper the word “progress.”

But then, the cracks showed.

He fought corruption, but only sometimes.
His enemies went to jail.
His friends got a pass.
Billions disappeared in the name of fixing power, yet the lights never came on.
The country stayed dark, and so did accountability.

The big issue?
He had the power to change the system, but he didn’t.

That 1999 constitution, crafted in the barracks and handed to civilians, stayed untouched.
It centralized everything in Abuja.
Left the states weak.
Fanned the flames of ethnic distrust and regional resentment.
Obasanjo had the clout to fix that, but he didn’t even try.

Instead, when his second term was ending, he reached for a third.
And everything unraveled.

He didn’t succeed, but the damage was done.
He weakened the trust Nigerians were beginning to build in democracy.
He showed that even a civilian could carry military instincts into a democracy.

In places like the Niger Delta, he used force instead of dialogue.
Communities like Odi were razed.
Anger boiled.
Militancy rose.

All this while roads crumbled.
Hospitals stayed broken.
Schools lacked teachers.
Power supply stayed a national joke.

He had the money.
Oil prices were high.
He had the legitimacy.
But he missed the moment.

He could have built strong institutions.
He could have launched real federalism.
He could have set up a sovereign wealth fund.
He could have made education and healthcare his legacy.

Instead, he left a shaky structure behind.
And every government since has struggled with the same old problems.

Corruption.
Poor power supply.
Unrest.
A bloated center and weak states.
A constitution that serves the few, not the many.

Yes, he had his wins.
Debt relief.
Telecom revolution.
Regional diplomacy.

But looking back, it wasn’t enough.

Not for a man with his experience.
Not for a country with our needs.

Obasanjo opened the door.
But he left the house unfinished.

And now we are still trying to fix the cracks he walked past.

I'm Richmond Amadi making a common sense

He monetized the National Assembly. Ebora Owu himself!

The Paris bailout was part of his success. A huge one at that.

Give credit when it’s due agbadoids

Did he also sexure the bailout for Ghana or you are just deluded.

Osiris12:
The Paris bailout was part of his success. A huge one at that.

Give credit when it’s due agbadoids

RichmondAmadi:
Olusegun Obasanjo came into office in 1999 with the weight of history on his shoulders.

A former military ruler.
Now a civilian president.
Back to power at a time when Nigeria was trying to breathe again after years of dictatorship, decay, and doubt.

People hoped he would set the tone.
That he would open a new chapter.
And in some ways, he did.

He gave us stability.
He retired old generals and gave democracy a fighting chance.
He brought Nigeria back to the global stage.
Our phones started ringing with GSM lines.
And for once, we saw hope in policies like debt relief and new banks with stronger legs.

He even created agencies like the EFCC to chase down corruption.
People began to whisper the word “progress.”

But then, the cracks showed.

He fought corruption, but only sometimes.
His enemies went to jail.
His friends got a pass.
Billions disappeared in the name of fixing power, yet the lights never came on.
The country stayed dark, and so did accountability.

The big issue?
He had the power to change the system, but he didn’t.

That 1999 constitution, crafted in the barracks and handed to civilians, stayed untouched.
It centralized everything in Abuja.
Left the states weak.
Fanned the flames of ethnic distrust and regional resentment.
Obasanjo had the clout to fix that, but he didn’t even try.

Instead, when his second term was ending, he reached for a third.
And everything unraveled.

He didn’t succeed, but the damage was done.
He weakened the trust Nigerians were beginning to build in democracy.
He showed that even a civilian could carry military instincts into a democracy.

In places like the Niger Delta, he used force instead of dialogue.
Communities like Odi were razed.
Anger boiled.
Militancy rose.

All this while roads crumbled.
Hospitals stayed broken.
Schools lacked teachers.
Power supply stayed a national joke.

He had the money.
Oil prices were high.
He had the legitimacy.
But he missed the moment.

He could have built strong institutions.
He could have launched real federalism.
He could have set up a sovereign wealth fund.
He could have made education and healthcare his legacy.

Instead, he left a shaky structure behind.
And every government since has struggled with the same old problems.

Corruption.
Poor power supply.
Unrest.
A bloated center and weak states.
A constitution that serves the few, not the many.

Yes, he had his wins.
Debt relief.
Telecom revolution.
Regional diplomacy.

But looking back, it wasn’t enough.

Not for a man with his experience.
Not for a country with our needs.

Obasanjo opened the door.
But he left the house unfinished.

And now we are still trying to fix the cracks he walked past.

I'm Richmond Amadi making a common sense

U know nothing about OBJ time in power..?

Do u know what it means to draft and start policies.... He created many that is now the norm...

The NERC

The EFCC

The ICPC

The DMO

The 13% derivation for ND

The PTDF

The private varsity act

The HMO's

The contributory pension scheme

Etc

U think to draft out these things are easy..?

If u dnt know these are what u didn't term solid institutions...these are what even ur tinubu govt now depends upon to rule properly...

I dnt even want to talk about infrastructure..cuz nobody beats OBJ..

Now talk about power ..let's ask u Mr.. analysis, what exactly is the power station anybody built since after OBJ...?

Plz oo I dnt know..cuz as far s I know Aside those of the old 70's.. ink built the rest till date ...it is just managing that the rest of the president are doing with it... instead of adding to it...

Osiris12:
The Paris bailout was part of his success. A huge one at that.

Give credit when it’s due agbadoids

Obj remains the best man to have fixed and set the country on a pedestal of success.
He came at the right time.
He came when eyes were not much on the money. When corruption was not yet flowery and consummated.
He came when we had no much wealthy individuals who can sabotage the system and undermine the process.

He came when the internet was not a thing and social media was yet a movement to discredit his efforts.

He came when the crude oil revenue was huge and when whatever he told the governor to do was the final.

He came when whoever he brought in as a minister saw it as a great opportunity.

He came when people have not made much money through corruption.

He came in when the country was not divisive and political awareness and its benefits were not at fore like now.

He came in when insecurity was not because of marginalization of a region or quest for power or fighting for inclusion or distribution of wealth and resources of the nation

Unlike now that everyone is sensitive, there are more division everywhere, fight of marginalization, and quest for inclusion, clamor for wealth distribution, regional fight for power.

He could have set the pace for the correctness presumed futuristic turmoil that our diversity could cause.

Above all, he had the power to do so much as a former military president who became the first democratic president. He had so much powers and goodwills to do a lot but he did little. Now he wants us to see him as a god. He would have been in the place of Nelson Mandela.

Britishpea:
Obj remains the best man to have fixed and set the country on a pedestal of success.
He came at the right time.
He came when eyes were not much on the money. When corruption was not yet flowery and consummated.
He came when we had no much wealthy individuals who can sabotage the system and undermine the process.

He came when the internet was not a thing and social media was yet a movement to discredit his efforts.

He came when the crude oil revenue was huge and when whatever he told the governor to do was the final.

He came when whoever he brought in as a minister saw it as a great opportunity.

He came when people have not made much money through corruption.

He came in when the country was not divisive and political awareness and its benefits were not at fore like now.

He came in when insecurity was not because of marginalization of a region or quest for power or fighting for inclusion or distribution of wealth and resources of the nation

Unlike now that everyone is sensitive, there are more division everywhere, fight of marginalization, and quest for inclusion, clamor for wealth distribution, regional fight for power.

He could have set the pace for the correctness presumed futuristic turmoil that our diversity could cause.

Above all, he had the power to do so much as a former military president who became the first democratic president. He had so much powers and goodwills to do a lot but he did little. Now he wants us to see him as a god. He would have been in the place of Nelson Mandela.

Which yeye little... Ogbeni... Obj transformed Nigeria as u currently see it....

The rest are just clueless... He wanted a third term because he felt no one will have the burning passion and huge plans to get the nation moving very well..
.guess what..?

He was correct!!!!!