Obasanjo: Nigeria In A Toxic Situation 
Published on December 18, 2012 by pmnews · 23 CommentsFormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised an alarm over the insecurity in the country and called on the present leaders to tackle it seriously.
Obasanjo who shared his thoughts on the state of the nation in an interview with Y! Magazine described the current situation in the country as toxic and called for a concerted effort to address it.
“We are in a situation in this country now, or if you like, in a state of insecurity. It’s a toxic situation. It does not matter how much blame on the leadership is unfair or unwarranted, the public won’t support the leader,” Obasanjo noted.
He likened the situation in the country to a state of war, adding that there are many things wrong with the country.
“It’s like when a country is at war. Everything in the country must be dear to us in the war. After you have done the war, you can now start apportioning blame because there are many things going wrong in our country. There will be something wrong with our country or any country at any point. The question is how serious and what we are doing about it- and in this case it is serious.” he said.
The two-time Nigerian leader also spoke on the tough decisions he had to make as president of the country. He berated the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na’Abba for always threatening him with impeachment.
Olusegun Obasanjo
“By now, Na’abba or whatever you call that character who took a lorry to Abuja from Kano, became Speaker and was riding in strings of cars, would have been known for impeaching me after many threats. I said if this impeachment will come, let it come and I will go back to my farm but what I will not accept, I will not accept,” Obasanjo said defiantly.
He described his biggest achievement in office as preventing the break-up of the country. “I protected Nigeria from breaking up. When I became elected president, many Nigerians did not think that Nigeria would survive.
“For instance, there was still grief and a feeling of alienation by the Igbos although the war had long ended; they had not felt that they had fully reaped the benefits of the end of the war. Two, the Yorubas generally were feeling bad about the situation of Abiola and the June 12 election. Three, the Niger Deltans essentially were feeling bad about being rich and yet remaining very poor. Four, the Northerners were being accused of monopolising power and each of these group were looking at themselves and thinking, if the worst comes to the worst, they would go it alone. Each of them was getting its own militants in one form or the other; the OPC (O’odua People’s Congress) in the West, Egbesu in the Niger Delta, and the Arewa People’s Congress (in the North).
“That was the situation and that’s what made people to believe that after me, as president, there would be no other president again; that Nigeria will disintegrate on my head. But that wasn’t the case, and you cannot quantify what a huge achievement that was,” he stated.
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Pls why cant this man be ashamed of himself, what stop him to effect the corrections when he was president of naija? have a look at Jakande and others, they kept quiet, he should just concentrate on his Farms that he hijacked (Operation Feed the Nation Land) at Otta.
OBJ remains the best leader in Nigeria dead or alive. We need not fool ourselves, things where that bad when he became President but he did his best. Most roads, airports, industries etc where built when he was a military leaders, by the time he came back as a civilian head most of these landmark achievements had been destroyed by the Northern Military and incompetent leaders that ruled the Nation ; I stand to say that all those that ruled this Nation from 1999 to 2009 are grossly incompetent and backward in thinking. Or how would you rate people in whose very own eyes saw to the collapse of Nigerian Airways, watched when all the roads became a dead traps, saw to the collapse of the nation refineries etc
As a civilain head of state, he (OBJ) was able to hold the Nation together as one, he reorganized the military thereby making it difficult for them to over throw democratically elected leaders otherwise Goodluck would have been swept away.
He paid most of our debt, got the global community to see the bright side of Nigeria.
It was the same Northern oligarchy that made thing very difficult for him during his two term in office i.e. Babangida, Atiku, Naaba and some prostitutes ( Unemployed Politicians) from the South East.
The truth must be told the way the Nation is going we all need to come together and ask for direction first from God and real elder stateman like OBJ, Balarabe Musa, Gowon ( Now enlightened) and forward looking generation led by Raji Fashola, Dangote, Donald Duke.
Nation building should be seen as a collective effort, people should put their ethnic differences aside and come together to build a Nation that will make us all proud, President Goodluck should not follow the path of ignorant by saying it is my time let me do it my own way.
That Obasanjo could today be contemplated as “the best leader” alive Nigeria has had is only indicative of how far the country has moved in backward direction. It must not be forgotten that Obasanjo worked hard to remain the “best leader” Nigeria might ever have in his lifetime. (His succession choices during his two exits from power precluded a visionary leadership). For me this mediocrity. He enthroned a culture of mediocrity where he could easily pontificate. Too bad for Nigeria to count Obasanjo among its best.
Obansanjo 1 : Na’abba 0
“By now, Na’abba or whatever you call that character who took a lorry to Abuja from Kano, became Speaker and was riding in strings of cars, would have been known for impeaching me after many threats. I said if this impeachment will come, let it come and I will go back to my farm but what I will not accept, I will not accept,” Obasanjo said defiantly.
End of first half
In a civilized society, OBJ would have been executed or jailed for life. Yet, this shameless monster, the father of all the problems of today Nigeria is still opening his rat looking mouth in the public.
A coward will always BE a coward, shame on you OBJ
What makes him a coward, the only person who went to the stronghold of Boko Haram, he speaks his mind and dire to be challenge in any constructive debate
In a civilized society, people don’t get executed for stating their opinion. If OBJ deserves to be executed, the present Nigerian leaders need to roasted in hell!
You do not know the meaning of “a civilize society” so shut your mouth.
Funmi! na karini and 4 peoples 2 know that they wr stl dr, we dont nd them again, babangida, buhari, atiku, tinubu etc, they hv done dr parts and 4gt abt naija prb since they cant correct it whn in position, Aki kini pe e kale, lehin odaro, they wr thief!!!!!!!!!!
Chris I good talk, thkssssssssssss
Can u see what is happening hr Chris? ur msg and mine was delected, Naijaaaaaaaa
Nigeria is toxic and the chemist/architect is OBJ period.He gave us the most docile president we’ve ever had. This man should be executed.
Why would you want to execute the man. Simply address the topic. OBJ contributed immensely to the progress of Nigeria. If only those after him could just improve upon his performance, things would be better! Government is continuum. You do not expect everything to fixed overnight.
Onanuga is a business man. You want them to close his media house. Moderate your comments. This is not Saharareporters that is in New York. We all know his office even got burnt recently.
Sorry Chris, I read your comment. It was rather too hash on the old man. Never worry, his natural end is not too far.
I guess this is all crap and a baseless rationalization. OBJ has contributed both positively and negatively to Nigeria. Pls help me ask him a question: where is the PTF fund?
Its only iI Nigeria that a thief will call another another thief a thief. All together they are all guilty of crime against humanity either directly or indirectly
Obansanjo 3 : 0 Na’abba
“By now, Na’abba or whatever you call that character who took a lorry to Abuja from Kano, became Speaker and was riding in strings of cars, would have been known for impeaching me after many threats. I said if this impeachment will come, let it come and I will go back to my farm but what I will not accept, I will not accept,” Obasanjo said defiantly.
75 mins, the old man has scored a hat trick, 15 min to go, whats Na’abba doing?
Baba Obj better stop complaining, every thing already fall apart. Nigeria can never ever be one any more. We must surely split the country. South can not continue tob be slave and second class citizen to mallam. Almagamation would soon be expired. Seperation is the only option. Let the born to rule continue to rule them selfs. Its time for south to hold their destiny and future in their hands. Northerners are all evil doers, beside seperation there can never be peace in Nigeria. They beleived they own Nigeria and better for them to have it. Their forefathers already instructed them how south should be treated. Our unity and one Nigeria is fake. 2014 is the end of our marriage. There would be no more country call Nigeria by 2014 / 2015, and this is my prayer. The killings is too much to bear, the country can never ever move forward beside seperation.
The more this man opens his mouth the more i become alarmed that a society accepted such an unintelligent character as a leader. Listen, my friends: This nation shall know no progress if charlatans like Obasanjo continue to parade themselves as leaders.
I believe there is always a diplomatic and dignified way of addressing issues and our leaders – particularly OBJ – should learn that. Regardless of how he feels about his alienation from certain corridors of power and the embarrassment it has caused him, if he continues to talk without caution, his respect and honor will go on nosediving. He should find a way of talking to the President directly and should grant fewer interviews in which he should be more guarded in his utterances. Except he does not want to get to the point where serious minded Nigerians will completely ignore him, this is the time he should apply caution to his utterances.
All these rantings are just to installed someone else in 2015. While he was there, he never listens to anyone and he insulted all that offered him advises. It is a shame that your comments are inflicting more pains on Nigerians and is like you want to heat up the polity or make people to feel more abandoned. You forced this present administration on Nigerians with you do or die mentality. I expect you to forward your opinions or any reasonable things you have to the presidency, don’t think is that bad and you can’t visit ASO Rock or call the current president on phone. Please enjoy your loot and stop sending wrong signals to the nation. You had the opportunity to also make it better, but you did your best and Nigerians have moved on. Welcome to the future OBJ, stop living in the past.
This report does not appear authentic to me. Obj will never grant a press interview to an obscure paper like Y!.
OBJ did some good things for the nation while in ofc. But he also screwed up big time in a number of issues that were very important to progress the nation. My advise to him is to stay retired and stay out of politics. We have a new leader now, give him the chance to show his impact.