Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo emphasizes that corruption among government officials is a significant barrier to effective governance and national progress.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asserted that politicians engaged in corrupt practices are incapable of providing effective governance.
Obasanjo expressed this viewpoint during a virtual address at the memorial lecture for Denis Joseph Slattery, which took place at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event, organized by the Old Boys’ Association of St. Finbarr’s College, paid tribute to the late Irish-born missionary who arrived in Nigeria in 1941.
The former president criticized political leaders lacking integrity, labeling them as “thieves,” and stressed their inability to ensure equitable governance.
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“You cannot expect thieves to deliver fair judgments in favor of the rightful owner,” Obasanjo stated.
He further emphasized that such individuals must be held accountable and face imprisonment for their actions.
“The foremost expectation from anyone in governance at any level is accountability,” Obasanjo noted, highlighting that leaders devoid of moral integrity cannot make decisions that benefit the public. He also critiqued the current political environment, remarking, “A close examination of those in government today, both in the executive and legislative branches, reveals that some should be incarcerated for their previous wrongdoings and criminal activities.”
Reflecting on his own experiences with corruption, Obasanjo recounted how a government official trivialized criminal behavior when confronted.
“The first thing that astonished me upon entering politics was the extent of corruption among election officials, which was regarded as commonplace. The second was the widespread and criminal misconduct, which was treated with indifference and impunity,” he explained.
Obasanjo further emphasized that Nigeria requires “transformational leaders rather than transactional leaders, truth instead of falsehood, honesty instead of deceit, integrity instead of disintegration, hope instead of despair, production instead of reduction, and inclusion instead of exclusion and marginalization.”
