The former President of Nigeria asserted on Sunday that Africa has failed to leverage science and technology to develop its agriculture sector. He further noted that political leaders in the continent are to be blamed for their inability to achieve self-sufficiency in food production within their respective countries.
During a lecture organized to commemorate his 86th birthday in the Ogun state capital of Abeokuta, he pointed out that Nigeria was not created to be poor and urged Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable for their lack of political will to transform the country into the food basket of Africa.
Obasanjo expressed his belief that Nigeria has a greater purpose, and was not created to be a basket case. He recalled that at independence, Nigeria was not only a giant in Africa, but also in the world, being referred to as a giant in the sun.
He lamented that Nigeria has failed to live up to its potential, and has not even been able to maintain its status as a giant Africa.
Some have called Nigeria a giant with clay feet. He concluded that this was not destiny that god had intended for Nigeria, but rather, it was a consequence of the actions, international or unintentional, of citizens.