Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said his imprisonment under late military ruler Sani Abacha underscores the personal cost that often accompanies principled leadership.
Obasanjo made the remark in a keynote address at an international colloquium titled “Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World,” organised as part of activities marking his 89th birthday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the elder statesman reflected on defining moments in his decades-long career spanning military command, imprisonment and democratic governance.
Recalling his tenure as Commander of the Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War, Obasanjo said leadership frequently requires solitary decisions whose consequences affect millions. He noted that in the closing days of the war in 1970, he opted for restraint to minimise civilian casualties — a decision he described as emblematic of the moral weight leaders must bear.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and later as civilian President from 1999 to 2007, said the public often underestimates the sacrifices associated with leadership. He cited his imprisonment during the Abacha regime as evidence that standing on principle can attract severe consequences.
He described leadership as both a heavy burden and a rare privilege, referencing Nigeria’s first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule in 1979, when he handed over to Shehu Shagari, as one of the most fulfilling moments of his career.
On Africa’s development, Obasanjo argued that the continent’s persistent challenges are rooted more in governance deficits than in geography or history. While Africa remains rich in natural and human resources, he said weak institutions, corruption and self-serving leadership continue to impede progress.
He called for sustained investment in leadership development, institutional strengthening and democratic accountability, stressing that lasting transformation depends on systems that endure beyond individual leaders.
Obasanjo also urged African governments to harness the potential of the global African diaspora, describing it as a strategic asset capable of accelerating continental renewal.
Highlighting regional integration efforts, he pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as a transformative initiative that could expand markets, attract investment and improve Africa’s competitiveness if effectively implemented.
Concluding his remarks, Obasanjo expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his confidence in Africa’s long-term promise, urging the next generation to embrace accountable, service-driven leadership.
“Africa is not a problem to be managed,” he said. “Africa is a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept.”
The birthday events are expected to conclude with a distinguished lecture titled “The Global African Enlightenment: From Chains to Renaissance,” to be delivered by Jean Robert Pillard, followed by a reception at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.