Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over Nigeria’s stagnation in growth and development, saying the country is not where it ought to be.
Speaking at the 8th Brigadier General Michael Agu (rtd) annual distinguished lecture and awards ceremony held at the Obasanjo Space Centre in Lugbe, Abuja, over the weekend, Obasanjo criticized the lack of effective implementation of policies in the country.
“It is not enough for leaders to have policies or make statements. We are not short of policies in Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria has become a burial ground of policies that are either unimplemented or unexecuted,” Obasanjo said.
He emphasized the importance of taking deliberate actions rather than making empty promises. “Those who make progress achieved progress, not based on wishing to make progress, but on taking actions. They do not take two steps forward and three steps backwards,” Obasanjo added, lamenting the backward steps Nigeria continues to take in various sectors.
The former president expressed his regret that this inconsistent approach hinders the country’s progress. “As long as we are doing things this way, progress will elude us. Let us carry the ones we can carry; we cannot be a jack of all trades and master of none.”
Obasanjo also reflected on the establishment of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) during his administration. He noted that his government sent over 100 Nigerian engineers to China for specialized training and had a clear vision for Nigeria’s space program.
His administration’s plan, according to him, was to launch Nigeria’s first satellite in collaboration with China, followed by the second with greater Nigerian involvement, and ultimately, a fully Nigerian-made satellite in space.