Former President Olusegun Obasanjo spoke about Nigeria’s fight against extreme poverty and hunger during a lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos. The event was part of the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture series, with the theme...CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING.>>
“How to End Hunger and Poverty in Africa.” Obasanjo made it clear that Nigeria has all it needs to overcome these problems if its leaders act with honesty, discipline, and provide good governance.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to Arise News, He pointed out that Nigeria is very rich in both people and natural resources, so it should not still be struggling with poverty. The main issue, he said, is not just poverty itself but the deep kind of poverty where people cannot even afford food and go hungry.
He explained the difference between this “abject poverty” and “relative poverty,” where people may be poor but can still eat well enough. “I was born and bred in a village.
We were poor, but we were never hungry,” Obasanjo said. “Abject poverty, the kind that comes with hunger, is unacceptable. We must separate that from relative poverty, which doesn’t always mean people go hungry.”
To truly fight this deep poverty, Obasanjo said Nigeria and Africa need three things: security, education, and good leadership.
He stressed the urgent need to bring the more than 44 million children who are out of school in Nigeria back into the formal education system. Without education, he suggested, it will be hard to make lasting progress.
Obasanjo’s message was clear: Nigeria’s wealth in human and natural resources should be enough to end hunger and poverty if the country’s leaders are honest and disciplined.
He believes that good leadership can change the situation and help millions of Nigerians escape hunger and extreme poverty. His personal story of growing up poor but never hungry highlights the difference that good leadership and community care can make.
This lecture reminds everyone that while poverty is a big problem, it is not something that must continue forever. With the right steps, especially focusing on security, education, and leadership, Nigeria can improve the lives of its people.
Obasanjo’s words challenge leaders to do better and show that the country’s wealth is enough to support all its citizens.
