New Telegraph

Obasanjo: We need ‘more rebels’ to rebuild Nigeria

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday insisted that Nigeria needs “more rebels” who can stand and speak for the truth, for the country to move forward. Obasanjo identified rebellious act as one of the greatest ingredients needed for the rebuilding of Nigeria.

 

To this end, Obasanjo said, Nigeria “needs more rebels” who would speak the truth to power not minding whose ox is gored. The former President expressed this view in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while unveiling the autobiography of the Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Chief Tayo Sowunmi, titled “Footprints Of A Rebel.”

 

The autobiography was unveiled as part of celebration of the 80th birthday of Sowunmi, a former activist and elder statesman. The autobiography was reviewed by Hafsat Abiola Costello, the founder of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND). In his brief remarks at the event, Obasanjo noted that, whoever must live a life of honesty and integrity has to be a rebel.

Obasanjo said, “Looking at the title of the book, I ask myself, why someone would call himself a rebel. But it is good. “But the truth is that if you have to leave a life of honesty and integrity, you have to become a rebel.

There would be some time you would be asked to do something, but you would say no, this is not right; when you say that you will become a rebel. You may even become a persona non – grata. “Our country, there is no country that we can call our own except Nigeria. Our country, Nigeria, needs more rebels.

 

Those who would look at things straight in the face and say ‘this is not right’, ‘this, I will not be part of’, ‘this is not good for Nigeria.”

He saluted the octogenarian for living “an exemplary life worthy of emulation by the younger generation.”

 

Earlier in his speech titled “Worthy Nation Building Legacies by the older generation of Nigerians,” the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare called for inter-generational reintegration between older and younger generations, as part of efforts to rebuild Nigeria.

 

According to him, it is a shame that while younger generations are taking over leadership in other countries, the older generation refuses to leave the stage in Nigeria.

 

Bakare argued that the nation rebuilding development had suffered because of the marginalisation of the youth and the progressives who abandoned politics.

Read Previous

Cholera outbreak: Pipeborne water disappears, Nigerians drink anything –Investigation

Read Next

How e-invoice will increase inflation, price of goods –Importers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *