Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria is not a difficult country to govern if its leaders are honest, sincere, and committed to good governance.
Obasanjo made the remark on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Bakhita ICT Centre at the Catholic Secretariat in Sokoto State. He noted that although Nigeria is complex and diverse, its strength lies in unity.
“There are many good things in Nigeria, and these are reflected in our unity in diversity. If diversity is managed with good governance and inclusiveness, Nigeria will be respected and counted among the leading nations of the world,” he said.
The former president emphasized that honesty and sincerity from leaders remain crucial for national stability. He added:
“Nigeria is not a difficult country to rule if leaders are honest with themselves, with God, and with the people. Since 1979, I have sought counsel and blessings from elders across the North, South, East, and West to manage our unity in diversity.”
Obasanjo stressed the importance of education as a tool for development, warning of looming challenges as Nigeria’s population is projected to hit 400 million by 2050.
“Already, 24 million children who should be in school are out of school. That alone could become a recruiting ground for future insurgencies. If we fail to prepare, the Boko Haram of today will be child’s play,” he cautioned.
He urged stakeholders not to relent in ensuring every child has access to education, noting that “an educated society will produce better leaders, better servants, and a better nation.”
Obasanjo commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto for his efforts in governance and praised the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, for his role in promoting unity. He also lauded Bishop Matthew Kukah for establishing the ICT Centre and acknowledged legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola for supporting the project.
The Sultan of Sokoto, in his remarks, thanked Obasanjo for his presence and urged Nigerians to embrace unity in tackling insecurity and driving development. Representing Governor Aliyu, Chief of Staff Alhaji Aminu Dikko reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to advancing technology-driven education.
Bishop Kukah explained that the ICT Centre was open to all Nigerians, regardless of background, and would provide training in digital skills such as coding, software development, data science, and computer engineering.
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