Nigeria: What We Need Is Change Of Mindset, Not Restructuring, Obasanjo Insists

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday insisted that what Nigeria as a country need now is change of mindset by her people and not restructuring which many are currently clamouring for.

The former president spoke at the palace of Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikewoli, and Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1 after the inspection of facilities at the Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited in Ekpan, Delta State.

Speaking separately at the Palace of the traditional rulers, Chief Obasanjo said that there was nothing wrong with a united Nigeria, insisting that the wrong perception of Nigerians about Nigeria as a country was the problem of the country.

The former president who disagreed with the pro-separatist agitators or those calling for the restructuring of the country, maintained that the same social crises bedeviling the country would persist if the country is eventually restructured.

He insisted that injustice, bad governance, inequity, injustice, social vices would not vanish from the country just because it has been restructured, noting that Nigerians need mind re-engineering and change of mentality.

Obasanjo who reacted following the speech delivered by on behalf of the Olu of Warri by Chief Brown Mene, reiterated that all Nigerian problems could be sorted out through dialogue and negotiations and not the secession.

“I believe that we can solve all our problems through dialogue, engagement, discussion and conversation. As you rightly remarked, I participated in the civil war and I said never again will I participate in any civil war again in my life.

“It was gruesome, it was destructive and it was deadly. The people who are now clamouring for whatever they are clamouring for don’t even know what war means. They don’t. He who ever has see the devastation of war, the destruction of war and the mindlessness of war will never want to see a war again and may we never have another war again.

“The answer to most of our problems is mindset change and change of mentally. If we need any restructuring, it is the restructuring of our mindset and mentality. How will anybody in his right senses believe separation in the way out?

“We have passed that stage. We have problems, there are many ways we can solve them. It is our diversity that make us a great country. I won’t want a Nigeria where we dance same juju, or wear same attire. Our strength is in our diversity.

“Some progress is being made in spite of our difficulties and problems, we need to make greater progress than we have made before. If we do that we’ll have good governance, there’ll be no impunity, everybody will have a sense of belonging, a stake in this project called Nigeria.

“Nothing is wrong with Nigeria, rather a lot is wrong with Nigerians. We need to correct what is wrong with Nigerians. Some of us have to speak up because if things are wrong and you don’t speak up, then you have become an accomplice.

“Dismemberment of Nigeria is not good enough. Harmony and cohesion in Nigeria is what we should substitute for dismemberment. Inequity, injustice or unfairness are not good enough, we should substitute them with equity, fairness, good government and lack of impunity”, he admonished.

Written by Joe Ogbodu