Former President Olusegun Obasanjo disclosed his findings about the Boko Haram insurgency, stating that the problem persists because Nigeria has failed to take the right steps to address its core cause.
The former President made the remarks on Friday while serving as Chairman at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a book by former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor (rtd.) in Abuja.
According to Obasanjo, the insurgent group was not formed because they were interested in political power or “serious religious issues,” but rather they were looking for a better life.
Read Also: Court Orders Police To Suspend Enforcement Of Tinted Glass Permit
The former head of state said: “I found, yes, there was Boko Haram. I found they were not really aiming for anything political or anything seriously religious. But in short, they were looking for a better life. And any other thing attached to that is a better life for them,” he said.
Obasanjo then questioned the nation’s effectiveness in addressing the challenges, suggesting that if the country had taken the right steps, Boko Haram would not have become “part of our daily life.”
He challenged the country’s lack of proactiveness: “Have we understood that? If we have, have we taken the steps that we should take? If we have, why are we, after fifteen years, Boko Haram is not virtually becoming part of our life? Should we accept that? If we should not accept, what should we do? How much do we know?” He asked.
Obasanjo stressed the need for a national self-assessment to deal with the rising crisis, adding: “I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this thing that is now becoming a monster within our country.”
The event was attended by many prominent Nigerians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (represented by the Minister of Defense, Abubakar Bagudu), Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
To Publish Articles, News, Place Advert, Contact Informant Online With Email Link Below: informantonline.com.ng@gmail.com
