During a conference in Lagos, former president Olusegun Obasanjo stated that the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria hindered the country’s progress.
He emphasized that instead of benefit, the presence of crude oil has caused misfortune, ultimately leading to the neglect of the agricultural sector that was once the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.
Obasanjo said, “One of the things that was a little bit of misfortune in Nigeria is crude oil. We were drinking and sleeping oil, and it was a misfortune for us. It made us to abandon agriculture. Oil is a waste asset. Agriculture is renewable. We have to go back to it.”
Obasanjo stressed the need to empower and provide employment for the increasingly restive youth.
“We have to give something to our youths who are becoming restive, frustrated and dangerous.
“If we are going to curb that, it is giving them education, skills, empowerment and employment. If we don’t, they will soon come to attack us in our homes in the daytime, and it is a matter of time.
“Even food, we don’t produce enough. We spend over $20bn to import food. 60 per cent of arable land is not cultivated. The one cultivated is not used to maximum capacity. We need leaders who will lead us to the promised land.”
