Nigeria: Obasanjo's Statement - in Praise of the Third Way

29 January 2018
opinion

Understandably, most reactions tend to analyze the messenger - Chief Olusegun Obasanjo - at the expense of the content of his Tuesday January 23rd essay entitled "The Way Out: A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria". Having been on Nigeria's driving seat for decades with all of us as his passengers, we are all understandably somewhat afflicted with OBJ messenger-message complex, OMMC! As illuminating as most comments are, the two eyes must be on the ball, not on OBJ's legs as a player.

I am excited that there is a renewed national and even global concern about Nigeria. This is a welcome worthy departure from the saturated run-on-the mill parochial shouting match stuff in both the main and social media. Therefore, for better, for worse, the third way is an idea that is already here with us! OBJ has commendably raised the noise level of the need to reinvent Nigerian nation. This is one of the main objectives of National Intervention Movement (NIM). I have been overwhelmed with calls by many compatriots since NIM was announced few months ago with demands for new national perspectives and new national actors. The calls are even more strident in the last few days. The legendary African great author/story teller, Chinua Achebe, once reminded us that "There was Once A Country!"

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