“I’m in a Hurry to See Nigeria Rise, Getting Close to My Departure Lounge” — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed urgency in seeing Nigeria reach its full potential, saying he is now “getting close” to his departure lounge. The remarks came as he reflected on his decades in public service and his new book, *Nigeria: Past and Future*, in which he assesses the country’s leadership trajectory and critiques both past and present administrations.

Obasanjo emphasized that his writings and interventions have been driven by a desire for national progress rather than animosity. “All my writings have been aimed at making Nigeria better because I strongly believe that Nigeria can be made better and I also believe in documentation,” he said.

Over the years, the former president has authored works including *My Command*, *Nzeogwu*, *Not My Will*, and his three-volume autobiography *My Watch*, aiming to shed light on his experiences in leadership, policy decisions, imprisonment, and the challenges facing Nigeria. He noted that his letters to past and present leaders were intended to offer guidance and highlight national crises, not to malign anyone.

Reflecting on his military and civilian leadership, Obasanjo acknowledged criticisms of sanctimony but insisted his conscience remained clear. “Some have accused me of being equally guilty of the things I have written about or accused others of. I rely on my conscience and my records and have no need to defend myself,” he stated. He described his generation of leaders as inexperienced but patriotic, committed to feeding the people, providing infrastructure, prioritizing education, and advancing Nigeria’s global profile.

In his new book, Obasanjo characterized the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023) as “the worst civil administration regime so far in Nigeria’s history,” citing unfulfilled promises and a failure to tackle corruption and mismanagement. Buhari’s former spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, countered that Obasanjo’s criticisms were motivated by personal animosity.

Obasanjo also criticized the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, calling it inefficient and suggesting it competes with Buhari’s regime in this regard. Attempts to obtain a response from the presidency were unsuccessful.

Despite the critiques, Obasanjo said his legacy would speak for itself. He reflected on his service as both military Head of State and civilian President, the hardships he endured, and the lessons learned. “Yes, I am both angry and sad because I have seen the best and the worst of our country. With hindsight, we know we made some mistakes, but again we did some great things in our country, for our country and for Africa,” he said.