Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has stressed that the fight against corruption will only be effective if it begins with accountability at the highest levels of government.
Obasanjo argued that addressing corruption among top leaders would set a strong example for others, demonstrating the government’s commitment to transparency and integrity.
He made the remarks during an interactive session on Zoom titled “Boiling Point Arena,” hosted by a private radio station in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Sunday night.
The discussion, which was also broadcast by several private radio stations in the state capital, centered on Obasanjo’s legacy in government and his assessment of the current state of Nigeria.
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Describing corruption as a “hydra-headed” problem deeply entrenched in Nigerian society, Obasanjo emphasized that the fight against it must begin with leadership if it is to succeed.
“The best way of fighting corruption is starting from the head, that is where corruption has to be fought from,” he said.
The former President also emphasized that the fight against corruption must be a continuous and daily effort to tackle it at its roots.
, “Corruption is very hydra-headed and eats deep. I think it was the Sultan of Sokoto, the father of the present Sultan who said corruption is like a ‘babariga’, if you are folding it on one side, it’s falling apart on the other side. When you carry it on both sides, you cannot hold your hands up and as soon as you put your hands down, it’s falling apart. And that’s corruption”
“It’s not a one-day affair. It’s not a one-regime affair. It’s not even a two-regime affair. It has to be consistent. it has to be continual. It has to be a daily affair. Once one regime is let off, it spreads.”
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He called for a reform in the recruitment and appointment of leaders to public office, emphasizing that political appointments should be based on merit rather than political affiliation or tribal considerations.
Regarding leadership, he stated that self-made leaders, or those elevated by malicious forces, are destined to fail.
He firmly believed that true leadership is ordained by God, and that only those chosen by Him will ultimately succeed.
“So I will say most leaders are prepared by God and they put in place by God and when that happens the chances of success are higher than when you make yourself a leader which may not be the act of God.
“And again people saying all leaders are made by God, I don’t accept that. A leader can also be made by Satan. In the case of Job, you can remember Satan was going up and down and went before God and God was commending Job but Satan said Job was upright to God because he has gotten from God.
“We must accept that Satan is real and he has power, he has no salvation but he has power and the power of Satan must not be underrated.”
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