Obasanjo Blames Leadership Failures for Nigeria’s Insecurity, Poverty, Mass Migration

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has blamed leadership failures for Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, unemployment and poverty, warning that the country’s deteriorating conditions are forcing citizens to seek better opportunities abroad through dangerous migration routes.

Obasanjo said Nigeria must urgently address governance shortcomings, create employment opportunities and tackle poverty to restore public confidence and discourage young people from leaving the country.

The former president spoke during a panel session titled “Lest We Forget” at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend 2026, organised by the African Export-Import Bank in Lagos State over the weekend.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s security situation since independence, Obasanjo recalled that when he returned to the country in 1959 after completing his military training in Britain, he could travel freely across different parts of the country without fear of kidnapping or attacks.

“I came back to this country after my commission as an officer in Britain in 1959. And I could go anywhere; I was posted to the north; I could go anywhere in the north, by myself alone, by day, by night,” he said.

Expressing concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation, he questioned how Nigeria had reached a point where citizens could no longer travel safely in many parts of the country.

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“Now, if you can’t do that, what has gone wrong? We have to correct what has gone wrong,” he added.

Obasanjo identified unemployment, particularly among university graduates, as one of the major challenges driving economic desperation among young Nigerians and other Africans.

He argued that governments could not continue producing graduates without creating adequate employment opportunities and expect them to remain economically productive.

To illustrate the consequences of unemployment, the former president recalled an encounter with Nigerians arrested for drug-related offences, saying one of the suspects had blamed his involvement in the illegal trade on losing his legitimate source of income.

According to him, economic hardship could push otherwise productive individuals into desperate situations, although it did not justify criminal activities.

On irregular migration, Obasanjo expressed concern over the dangerous journeys undertaken by Africans attempting to reach Europe through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea.

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He said some migrants die during the journeys, describing the accounts of those who survived as distressing.

“I have got those people who have attempted to cross, and the story they told me is pathetic. Some die in the Sahara, some die in the Mediterranean,” he said.

The former president maintained that improved governance, employment generation and better economic opportunities would reduce the pressure on Africans to undertake life-threatening journeys in search of greener pastures.

He stressed that leadership must be measured by its ability to deliver better living conditions for citizens.

“We have to improve on our leadership to deliver, and once our leadership delivers, what does any man want in the world?” he asked.

“But if they have nothing here, they will look for whatever they can get anywhere else, and you can’t blame them.”

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Obasanjo also attributed much of Africa’s underdevelopment to the failure of political leaders to provide effective governance.

“Africa is not where it should be, and that Africa is not where it should be is substantially the responsibility of our leaders. It’s as simple as that,” he declared.

Beyond Nigeria’s domestic challenges, the former president advocated greater freedom of movement across African countries as part of efforts to promote continental integration and economic development.

He disclosed that he had discussed with Ghanaian President John Mahama a proposal to eliminate visa requirements among about 25 African countries.

According to him, the initiative would initially involve countries already operating visa-on-arrival arrangements, before potentially expanding to cover the entire continent.

“These countries should eliminate visas among themselves, about 25 of them, and if they are able to do it successfully, then maybe in a matter of a few years, the whole of Africa will be able to move,” he said.

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Obasanjo further criticised the limited recognition of the African passport and urged governments across the continent to introduce policies granting automatic citizenship to people of African descent who wish to return to Africa.

“I believe that all African states should have such a policy. That anybody from the diaspora who wants to be a national of any African country should automatically be given,” he said.

He called for stronger unity among Africans and people of African descent worldwide, insisting that historical divisions should not prevent collective efforts towards economic prosperity.

Obasanjo said African countries must prioritise responsible leadership, create more economic opportunities and strengthen continental cooperation to address the challenges confronting their populations.

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