Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, have called for the urgent end to abject poverty across the country and Africa.
Obasanjo mentioned that if China could lift 700 million people out of poverty, Nigeria ought not to have anything to do with abject poverty.
Delivering a keynote address during Dele Momodu’s leadership lecture, ‘How to End Hunger and Poverty in Africa’, Obasanjo stated that “before we talk about food, security is key.”
While proposing a long-term solution to hunger in Africa, Obasanjo emphasised that “education is one of the tools we can use to eradicate poverty.” Poverty is almost always the result of a lack of knowledge.
He said that leadership has little to do with eradicating abject poverty: “In all walks of life, we must have leaders whose characters demonstrate ‘communality’.
“Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty. There’s no human endeavour that does not thrive on leadership.
“To get it right, we must ensure no child is uneducated.
“Nigeria can eliminate hunger and poverty with integrity, discipline and good governance. We can do it if China can lift 700 million people out of poverty.
“Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty. If we don’t take responsibility, we all sit on a powder keg.
“Until we banish poverty in Africa, international communities will not recognise us as a serious continent.” He said
While congratulating Obasanjo on his submission, the Ooni of Ife asked everyone to be patriotic and work with the administration.
He said, “If we want to break poverty in this country, we have to be patriotic in all ramifications. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear. We may not get it right at first, but in a short time we would be the envy of the world.”
On his part, while congratulating Momodu for his leadership centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeleke maintained that most political officeholders are too big to reach out to guardians.
“The problem we have is that people don’t have the fear of God. I invited President Obasanjo twice to Osun State to inspect the rapid development I am bringing there.
“I am trying to build the Atlanta standard of spaghetti junction.” He said.
