Nigeria is complex but not difficult to manage – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asserted that while Nigeria may be complex, it is not necessarily difficult to govern.

Obasanjo made these remarks on Wednesday during a memorial lecture honoring Akintola Williams, Nigeria’s pioneering chartered accountant.

The lecture, titled “Leadership Dynamics: Current Realities and Way Forward,” was organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and held in Lagos.

“Nigeria is indeed a complex country,” Obasanjo noted. “However, managing Nigeria is not an impossible task. It requires being honest with yourself, with Nigeria, and with God.”

Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as a civilian president from 1999 to 2007, reflected on the economic hurdles during his presidency and the efforts made by his administration to foster development.

“I did everything within my capacity for Nigeria, and I can confidently say that,” he stated.

“When I assumed office as an elected president, Nigeria had only N3.7 billion in reserves, while we were spending N3.5 billion just to service our debt. This led me to seek debt relief, which we successfully achieved. We not only relieved the nation of a significant debt burden of N3.36 billion but also increased our reserves, leaving over N45 billion in reserve and more than N25 billion from excess crude.”

Obasanjo also lauded the late Akintola Williams, emphasizing that he deserves all the honors bestowed upon him posthumously for his contributions to Nigeria’s political, social, and economic landscape.

Davidson Alaribe, President of ICAN, urged members to maintain the high standards set by Williams in the accounting profession.

“Let us honor him not only with plaques and statues but by committing ourselves daily to the standards he established, turning every challenge into an opportunity for excellence,” Alaribe said.

In August, Obasanjo urged Nigerians to refrain from electing “transactional leaders” if the nation is to move forward, pointing out that the country is currently burdened by “self-centered leaders” at various levels.