Former President Olusegun Obasanjo marked his 89th birthday on Wednesday with reflections on leadership, service, and Africa’s enduring potential, highlighting lessons drawn from both triumphs and trials.
Delivering the keynote address at an international colloquium titled ‘Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World’, Obasanjo recalled his personal experiences as proof of the costs associated with principled decisions, including his imprisonment under the late military ruler, Sani Abacha.
“Leadership is both a heavy burden and a profound blessing,” he said, drawing on memories of commanding the Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War.
Obasanjo emphasized the moral weight of decisions made in solitude, recalling his choice in the war’s final days to restrain military action to protect uk civilian lives.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s historical moments, he described overseeing the country’s first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule in 1979 — when he handed over to President Shehu Shagari — as among the most fulfilling acts of his career.
On Africa’s broader development trajectory, Obasanjo argued that persistent challenges are rooted less in geography or history and more in governance failures.
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“Africa remains richly endowed with natural and human resources,” he said, “but continues to suffer from weak institutions, corruption, and self-serving leadership.”
He called for renewed focus on leadership development, stronger institutions, and democratic accountability, stressing that sustainable progress depends on systems resilient enough to outlast individuals.
He also urged African governments to better engage the global African diaspora, describing it as an untapped resource capable of accelerating continental renewal.
Concluding with a message of gratitude and faith, Obasanjo reaffirmed his optimism for Africa’s future.
“Africa is not a problem to be managed,” he said. “Africa is a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept.”
The birthday celebrations will continue on Thursday with a lecture by Haitian Ambassador Jean Robert Pillard on ‘The Global African Enlightenment from Chains to Renaissance’, followed by a reception for distinguished guests at the OOPL in Abeokuta.