By: Adeosun Ewatomi
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also criticized the Bola Tinubu administration for spending N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, calling it a misplaced priority and a conduit designed to embezzle public funds.
Obasanjo made these remarks in chapter six of his new book, 'Nigeria: Past and Future', where he examined the conduct and character of political leaders at both the federal and state levels.
The book was one of two new books unveiled to mark Obasanjo's 88th birthday last week.
Obasanjo accused many of those who have held leadership positions in Nigeria, whether as governors, presidents, ministers, or even local government chairmen, of being ill-prepared, satanic, self-centered, and solely focused on corruptly enriching themselves while the country remains mired in poverty and underdevelopment.
The former president noted that most office-seekers in Nigeria are primarily interested in using their positions to enrich themselves and their associates, even going as far as obtaining loans worth billions of naira, believing that repayment from public funds will not be a problem.
Obasanjo cited specific examples of governors whose businesses owed banks billions of naira and dollars before taking office, but were able to pay off all their debts within two years without their companies doing any new business, implying that the money came from state resources.
The former leader described such practices as "typical examples of waste, corruption, and misplaced priority," citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project and the new vice president's official residence as cases in point.
Obasanjo stated that to address the challenges facing the country, there is a need to critically examine the Western liberal democracy being practiced in Nigeria and explore ways to adapt it to reflect African realities.
He argued that if the West, where liberal democracy originated, is now finding it problematic, Nigerians should be wise enough to undertake an introspective analysis and realize that Western liberal democracy is not working for the country and is not delivering the desired outcomes, aside from the shortcomings of those implementing it.
Obasanjo suggested that Nigeria should seek a form of democracy that is rooted in African history, culture, attributes, and characteristics, which he termed "Afrodemocracy." He proposed that this Afrodemocracy should serve as the basis for an "African people's constitution" that would avoid most, if not all, of the flaws found in Western liberal democracy.
The former president emphasized the need for Nigerians to move beyond simply adopting Western systems and instead develop a homegrown democratic model that is tailored to the country's unique context and needs.