Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, on Saturday described Nigeria has a failed country, just as he said it is wrong to blame President Muhammadu Buhari or any single person for the problems.
The problem of Nigeria, he said, is a result of cumulative years of leadership failure for which the entire political class is guilty.
Obi spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State during the 2017 Independence anniversary lecture at the Akanu-Ibiam International Conference Centre where he was a guest lecturer.
The former governor spoke on the topic: “Change and changing Nigeria through harnessing of investment potentials of Ebonyi State: yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
He expressed regret that countries with the same growth trajectory as Nigeria in the 80s have all overtaken the country in all indices of development.
The 56-year-old blamed the recent rise in agitation by youth across the country, especially the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a result of the poor leadership of the past administrations in Nigeria, saying that the political class, including himself, was guilty.
“Whenever they talk about Nigeria at 57, I refuse to talk. My opinion is that Nigeria is a failed country, period. And that is why you are seeing so many agitations you are seeing today. The agitation is not ending, it’s just beginning,” he said.
“It is a cumulative effect of leadership failure over the several years of this country and you can’t stop it because you now have millions of young people in their productive age doing nothing, you can call them anything.”
Obi argued that whether Nigeria was “out or in” of recession, the fact remained that a lot still needed to be done by the leaders.
He thanked Governor Dave Umahi for what he is doing in Ebonyi and urged him to continue to tell the people he is ruling the truth, adding that the people will trust and believe him the more.
Obi called on leaders of Nigeria to be alert at the dynamics in the world, especially the shift from baggage to a knowledge economy.
His words: “We are moving from baggage economy to knowledge economy.
“So, the country should stop dwelling on solid minerals because it is a baggage economy and nobody lives with it.
“This is what Nigeria is doing and we are still talking about oil which is already destined to finish one day.”
