Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed fears that Nigeria will witness a revolution soon unless government takes urgent steps to check growing youth unemployment and poverty.
Speaking at the West African regional conference on youth employment in Dakar, Senegal at the weekend, Obasanjo said the danger posed by an army of unemployed youth in Nigeria can only be imagined.
"I'm afraid, and you know I am a General. When a General says he is afraid, that means the danger ahead is real and potent," he said.
Obasanjo added that despite what he called the imminent threat to Nigeria's nationhood "there is absence of serious, concrete, realistic, short and long term solution" to youth unemployment.
He made reference to the doctorate degree holders who applied for jobs as drivers at the Dangote Group, saying Nigerian youths have been patient enough and that this patience will soon reach its elastic limit.
According to the former president, youth unemployment rate which was 72 per cent in 1999 when he took over power had been reduced to 52 per cent by 2004 but that the rate rocketed to 71 per cent by 2011.
Obasanjo left office in 2007, succeeded by Umaru Yar'Adua who died in 2010, and President Jonathan has been in office since then.
The former president lamented that the unemployment situation had given rise to the prevalence of social crimes being perpetrated by three categories of youth whom he identified as area boys, Yahoo boys and, recently, Blackberry boys.
He told the diverse audience that in Nigeria people talk of growth without corresponding development, and that what is visible is increased poverty.
Obasanjo said national leaders must create incentives that will encourage entrepreneurs to flourish and that special attention should be given to agriculture business as against mere farming.
He reiterated the need for easy access to land and micro credit, while advocating for a review of school curriculum to enable undergraduates spend additional one year to learn entrepreneurship.
At the sub-regional level, Obasanjo called for a review of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) to accommodate issues of youth unemployment and job creation.
The conference, which was sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the African Development Bank, was attended by top bankers from across Africa including the Managing Director of Nigeria's Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu.
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I HAVE SEEN NOTHING WRONG FOR SOME ONE ALSO A NIGERIAN AND FORMER PRESIDENT FOR THAT MATTER TO SAID HIS MIND ON A VERY SERIOUS NATIONAL ISSUE OF UNEMPLOYMENT.FROM 72PCNT HE REDUCED IT 52 THEN WHY THE PRESENT ADMTS CANT REGULATE THE PROBLEM TO THE MINIMUN ?
It is sad and mockery for an immediate ex-president who had a huge opportunity to transform the state entrusted in his care to have such comments that can creat tension knowing that he tested same position but failed in the same regard....anywhere, it must start from the past leaders like him.
Former President Obasanjo speak like vissionary outside the closset . I was an ardent fan of most of his articles when Ibb was in office and when it was impossible to challenge (IBB's)authority. It shuddered me to watch his (OBJ's)in-adequecy when he had his second chance to put into practise some of the leadership short-comings and straighten up that cultural, political and moral in-adequecy among the nations leadership . He went into the nations leadership with massive citizen support from Nigerians home and in diaspora. I almost shed tears while friends and lot many citrizens who watched his swearing-in ceremony were utterly overtaken by emotion with his own swearing in speech . Obasanjo had promised to give his all to a bruised nation and promised thus, If Nelson Mandela could do it in South Africa, " I will do it in Nigeria". While Mandela left his people of South Africa with great hope and emotion , Obasanjo left Nigerians with broken purse, new corruption culture and private jet in the midst of massive poverty and debilitating inequality tearing his nation into shreds.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo should have closed his eyes and big mouth bcos he also compunded all these crises we are facing now.
when you sold out all nigerian companies e.g NPA for your own benefit and put many young nigerian into unemployment till today.
you now open your big mouth that there will be revolution soon. obasanjo please remember it will starts from your farm land and other properties including your family bad leader advicing government. Good lord will purnish each and every one of you and your entire families for making us to cry everyday.
I hope General Obasanjo has not forgotten his part in the problem of Youth unemployment. He ruled this country for a total of 12 years. The most recent is for eight (8) years at stretch. During his recent tenor, $16 billion dollars was spent ostensibly to ensure power supply. The whole money was stolen and no single candle was procured. Power supply obviously is the key to entrepreneurship and curbing youth unemployment and engendering creativity among the youth. During Obasanjo's administration, N300 Billion was budgeted for Nigerian roads and no single kilometer was tarred. Now, there are no passable Federal Road in Nigeria and no Minister was queried for these two dastard cases stealing the huge sums of money budgeted for electricity and roads which would have helped to curb youth unemployment.
The trouble now is not Obasanjo because he has in the Nigerian success dictionary succeeded as he has left office without being hanged or imprisoned for the two crying criminal corruption issues that happened in his administration. The problem now is the impunity of present day Presidency, Ministers and State Governors. When the revolution comes, it would be hard for us poor, but it is the politicians that would have something to lose. When it finishes, the Nigerian politicians would wish they were like us all.