Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president, has urged Nigerians to assume collective responsibility for the nation’s future, cautioning that significant advancement will remain elusive unless people band together to tackle domestic issues.
Obasanjo revealed this on Thursday at the 6th Annual Colloquium, which had as its theme “The Future of Nigeria” and was held to commemorate the 65th birthday of Pastor Itua Ighodalo, the founder of Trinity Church.
The former president emphasized that nation-building is a shared responsibility that affects all facets of society, as represented by Prof. Adedeji Daramola, Deputy Chief Executive of the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute.
He said: “Until we come together to resolve this matter, there’s no way we can just expect a miracle to happen.
“Everybody has a role to play. It’s a collective responsibility for us. Nigeria’s future remains promising despite current challenges. Every citizen, from market women to professionals and political leaders, must contribute to shaping the country’s direction.”
Reinforcing his position, Obasanjo declared: “Until we come together to work and fix Nigeria, nobody will fix it for us.”
“The future is now and the country should involve the youth in governance; the future of Nigeria is in the youth,” he said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage, he pointed out that, “the country’s youthful population presents a unique opportunity that must be harnessed through technology and innovation.
“With the current artificial intelligence and technological dispensation, Nigeria should take advantage of it in such a way that we can make our youth benefit from it,” he added.
Other speakers at the event echoed similar concerns about Nigeria’s trajectory, calling for urgent reforms across key sectors.
Economist Prof. Eghosa Osagie emphasised local production, cautioning, “Don’t consume what you don’t produce.”
On governance, Ms. Opeyemi Adamolekun of Enough is Enough Nigeria warned that “politics in Nigeria has become incredibly commercial, reduced to transactional exchanges,” while technology investor Iyinoluwa Aboyeji noted structural gaps, observing that “the bulk of connectivity still sits in Lagos.”
The event also featured notable dignitaries, including the publisher of Vanguard newspaper, Sam Amuka, Africa’s richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, and Donald Duke, among others, who gathered to honour Pastor Ighodalo.
