Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has strongly declared that Nigeria’s pervasive poverty is self-inflicted, asserting that with the country’s abundant natural and human resources, Nigerians “have no business being poor.”
Obasanjo made the remarks during a state dinner held in his honour by the Abia State Government on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia. Speaking candidly, the elder statesman criticized the mismanagement of Nigeria’s vast endowments, emphasizing that the blame lies squarely with its leaders and not with divine providence.
“Nigerians have no business with poverty because God has given us all that we need,” Obasanjo said. “If we are mismanaging what God has given us, we do not have God to blame, we have ourselves to blame.”
The former president praised Governor Alex Otti for what he described as a commendable and widely acclaimed effort to transform Abia State, urging him to stay focused and continue delivering good governance.
“If Nigeria had 18 governors doing well in their responsibilities as leaders, we would build this country up,” Obasanjo noted. “What is important to me is that the people of this country are getting what they deserve—and that is good governance.”
He also shared a revealing anecdote about former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, recalling how he had to direct the former minister to the archives to discover a previously established national railway development plan.
“You didn’t know that we had a national plan for railway to reach every state capital, and I told you to go into the archives—it is there,” he said. “But again, I believe as Minister of Transport, you got a bit of it right, you got a bit of it wrong.”
In his remarks, Governor Otti expressed gratitude to Obasanjo for his longstanding support and recounted the long, challenging road that led to his current administration.
“Once you have vision, you have to keep to it,” the governor said. “It took us ten years to get here. The two elections we contested from 2015 to 2019, we won clearly, but they were all stolen. But I was sure that I heard clearly from God.”
He also highlighted the sweeping reforms underway in Abia’s education sector, aimed at expanding access to quality education and laying a solid foundation for future generations.
Former Minister Amaechi, who also spoke at the event, called on political leaders in the state to begin preparing for the 2027 general elections. He emphasized that the true value of good leadership often becomes apparent only after it is lost and praised Obasanjo for his enduring legacy of visionary governance.
“In your case, no matter who becomes president, you have always stood out,” Amaechi said, adding that Abians must rally behind Governor Otti to sustain the current momentum and protect democratic gains.
“APC and other parties are already mobilising. If we don’t prepare now, we may lose out completely,” he warned.
Other dignitaries present, including Chief Ginger Onwusibe, who represents Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency, and Senator Darlington Nwokocha, acting National Secretary of the Labour Party, echoed similar sentiments. They lauded Governor Otti for his even-handed development strategy and thanked Obasanjo for his unwavering support for Abia’s progress.
The evening concluded with a renewed call for visionary leadership, resource accountability, and sustained development across Nigeria.
