Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, have jointly called for urgent and decisive action to eradicate abject poverty across Africa.
Speaking at Dele Momodu’s leadership lecture themed “How to End Hunger and Poverty in Africa”, Chief Obasanjo emphasized that if China could lift 700 million people out of poverty, Nigeria has no excuse for continuing to grapple with such widespread deprivation.
Delivering the keynote address, Obasanjo stated, “Before we talk about food, we must understand that security is key. Education is also one of the primary tools we can use to banish poverty. Where there is no education, there will invariably be poverty.”
He further stressed the importance of leadership in addressing poverty: “Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty. In every sphere of life, we must have leaders whose character reflects a spirit of communality. We must ensure that no child is left uneducated.”
He continued, “With integrity, discipline, and good governance, Nigeria can eliminate hunger and poverty. We can do it—if China can lift 700 million people out of poverty, Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty. If we fail to take responsibility, we are all sitting on a gunpowder keg.”
“Until we banish poverty in Africa, the international community will not recognize us as a serious continent,” Obasanjo warned.
In response to Obasanjo’s remarks, the Ooni of Ife congratulated the former president and echoed the call for national commitment and patriotism.
“If we want to break the chains of poverty in this country, we must be patriotic in all aspects—from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. We may not get it right at first, but with time, we can become the envy of the world,” the Ooni said.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, while congratulating Chief Dele Momodu on the establishment of his leadership centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, expressed concern over the disconnect between political officeholders and the people.
“The problem is that many leaders do not have the fear of God,” Adeleke noted. “I invited President Obasanjo twice to Osun State to inspect the rapid development we’re achieving. I am trying to build an ‘Atlanta-standard’ spaghetti junction in the state.”
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