NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has emphasized that Africa has no reason to be poor, given the continent’s abundant resources.
Obasanjo made this statement on Monday during the opening ceremony of the FESTAC Africa Festival at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, Kenya.
The former head of state expressed that Africa’s impoverished condition is not from God but rather a consequence of the poor mentality among Africans.
He said, “Africa has no reason to be poor. Our poverty is not an act of God. We are steeped in poverty due to our poor mentality. We need to wake up because we have a wealth of resources.”
Obasanjo pointed to historical examples, stating, “If you look back in history, you will see that whenever others needed to get work done, they came to Africa to transport black people to the so-called New World to make others rich. And that hasn’t stopped.
The slave trade led to colonialism. We enrich others while remaining impoverished. We need to awaken.”
He also highlighted the ongoing issue of Africa enriching other nations while remaining poor.
“Even today, we continue to enrich others while we remain poor. This cycle must end if we are to achieve true development”, Obasanjo added.
Additionally, Obasanjo criticized past economic policies imposed on Africa, saying, “Structural adjustment was the idea of the World Bank. However, I disagreed because we lacked the structure.
