Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how his outspoken nature on national and international matters led to his imprisonment under the military regime of the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha, in 1995.
Obasanjo disclosed this while speaking during an interactive session with 15 young male and female future African leaders at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The young leaders were drawn from various parts of the continent and were part of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation’s mentorship programme, alongside the 10 winners of the Prestigious and Life Challenging Future Africa Leaders Awards.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, quoted the former President as recalling his prison experience, which he attributed to his inability to stay silent on pressing issues.
Obasanjo recounted: “I joined the Army and at the age of 42, I finished my career as a military officer, but, what could I do? I was still young, energetic, and dynamic. So, I took to agriculture and during that time, I went into prison and that is not what I really wanted.
“Going into prison is really a challenge because I refused to keep quiet. For me, if there is anything to comment on, I did comment on them, and so, I landed in prison, and that is a challenge. And, when I came out from prison the situation was bad in the country that some people felt the need to be saved and pressure started coming.”
Obasanjo also shared insights on his decision to seek the Presidency in 1999, emphasizing his desire to prevent Nigeria from disintegrating.
Addressing the issue of African debt, Obasanjo lamented the reckless accumulation of debts by some African countries, describing it as a result of corruption. He stated: “Most of the debts cannot be explained. Some are due to outright corruption.”