Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has accused many Nigerian leaders of using public office for personal enrichment while leaving the country in worse condition.
He made these claims in his new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, which was unveiled last week to mark his 88th birthday.
In the book, Obasanjo criticised those in leadership, including governors, ministers, and local government chairpersons, calling them “ill-prepared, satanic, and self-centred.”
He alleged that some governors settle personal debts with state funds and take control of public resources, silencing potential whistleblowers with financial incentives. “You are left to guess where the money came from,” he wrote.
He also condemned the ₦15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, calling it wasteful and corrupt.
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Obasanjo noted that President Bola Tinubu had ignored widespread protests against the project, which was awarded without competitive bidding to Hitech Construction Company, owned by his associate Gilbert Chagoury.
He further criticised the ₦21 billion spent on Vice President Kashim Shettima’s new residence, calling it a misplaced priority.
Assessing Tinubu’s two years in office, Obasanjo stated that corruption remains rampant, describing governance as “transactional.” He remarked, “Everything is said to be transactional, and the slogan is ‘it is my turn to chop.’”
To address governance failures, Obasanjo called for a review of Nigeria’s democratic system, advocating for an Afrodemocracy model tailored to African realities.
“Western liberal democracy is not working for us,” he argued, proposing a new framework that aligns with Africa’s history, culture, and values.