Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s slow pace of development, stating that the country is not where it should be in terms of growth and progress. Obasanjo made these remarks over the weekend at the 8th Brigadier General Michael Agu (retired) Annual Distinguished Lecture and Awards ceremony, held at the Obasanjo Space Centre in Lugbe, Abuja.
In his speech, Obasanjo lamented the ineffectiveness of policies in Nigeria, saying, “It is not enough for leaders to have policies or make statements. We are not short of policies in Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria has become a burial ground of policies that are either unimplemented or unexecuted.”
He stressed that nations that make progress do so by taking deliberate and sustained actions, not by merely expressing a desire for change. “Those who make progress achieve it not by wishing, but by acting. They do not take two steps forward and three steps backward,” Obasanjo remarked.
He further criticized Nigeria’s inconsistent approach to development, warning that, “As long as we continue to move in this manner, progress will elude us. We must focus on what we can achieve. We cannot be a jack of all trades and master of none.”
Obasanjo also highlighted the strides made during his administration with regard to Nigeria’s space program. He recalled that when the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was established under his leadership, over 100 Nigerian engineers were sent to China for training in various fields. His administration’s ambitious plan included launching Nigeria’s first satellite with the help of China, the second through a Nigeria-China collaboration, and ultimately the third satellite, which was to be fully designed and built by Nigeria.
In a related development, the Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of four additional satellites for Nigeria, marking a significant step forward for the nation’s space ambitions.
Obasanjo Reveals Hearing Loss, Donates Hearing Aids
In another notable disclosure, Obasanjo revealed that he is nearly 25% deaf. The former president made the announcement while donating hearing aids to 2,000 people in Bauchi State as part of his initiative to support those with hearing impairments across the country.
“I discovered during one of my trips abroad that I was 25 percent deaf. I didn’t believe it at first, but I noticed I was struggling to hear clearly,” he said. Obasanjo encouraged others to take their health seriously, noting that there is no stigma in dealing with health issues. “Nobody is 100% healthy. We all have one ailment or another,” he added.
Obasanjo announced plans to distribute hearing aids to over 10,000 underprivileged people across Nigeria’s northeastern region, starting with the 2,000 beneficiaries in Bauchi State.
