Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Nigerian youths not to abandon the country to “the old generation of leaders.”
Obasanjo asked the youths to hold their future in their hands with a firm belief that “today is our day”, as against the famous cliché that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, saying the tomorrow may never come.
He claimed some corrupt leaders would destroy the so-called tomorrow if the younger generation failed to rise and take their future in their hands.
In contrast, Obasanjo was a tight-fist and sit-tight leader who ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and wanted a third term bid but he was prevented by the National Assembly, opinion leaders and public outcries.
His government, marked by corruption, political killings and lack of accountability, laid the foundation of the economic crisis and political instability which the country is still grappling with 23 years later.
The former president, spoke on Saturday, during a special interview with former Super Eagles star, Segun Odegbami, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Fielding questions from Odegbami, Obasanjo said, “My advice for Nigerian youths is, never let anybody tell you that you are the leaders of tomorrow.
If you wait for tomorrow before you take over leadership, that tomorrow may not come. They will destroy it.
“This is the time; youths get up and make it happen.”