Former President Olusegun Obasanjo warns that corruption in Nigeria has reached a "fatal stage," threatening the nation's survival. Speaking at Yale University, he linked systemic corruption to leadership failure and urged urgent reforms. Obasanjo emphasized that addressing corruption is vital for Nigeria’s security, unity, and developmental progress.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described corruption in Nigeria as reaching a "fatal stage," warning that the nation's survival is at stake if the issue remains unchecked. Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, USA, Obasanjo criticized the nation's systemic corruption, attributing it to leadership failure.
He revealed that Nigerians paid over ₦700 billion in bribes to public officials in 2023, with corruption more prevalent in the public than the private sector. Obasanjo underscored that power often breeds corruption, urging discussions to focus on those in authority. He cited Nigeria’s ranking of 150 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index as evidence of the country’s entrenched corruption.
Obasanjo warned that if corruption persists, the nation risks sinking further into insecurity, violence, and underdevelopment. However, he offered hope, stating that addressing immorality and corruption could steer Nigeria towards recovery.
The former president also echoed sentiments from Chinua Achebe’s 1983 treatise, The Trouble with Nigeria, affirming that leadership failure is the root cause of the country's challenges. Obasanjo emphasized that effective leadership is essential for combating corruption and fostering national unity and progress.
He concluded by calling for urgent reforms to restore integrity and accountability in governance, stressing that Nigeria’s future depends on overcoming these challenges.
