Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged the country’s youth to take bold steps in shaping their futures instead of passively waiting for opportunities to be handed to them.
He pointed to the rampant mismanagement of both human and natural resources as the root causes of the country’s current issues.
Obasanjo further stressed the need for political will in policy formulation and execution, citing military rule as more effective than democratic rule.
He made this known at the February Reading and Writing Dialogue organized by the Association of Nigerian Authors, Abuja Chapter, with the theme “The Writer’s Role in Nation-Building and Africa’s First Presidential Library” held at the Chinua Achebe International Conference Centre, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja.
He stressed the essential role writers play in documenting history, stating that understanding the past is crucial for shaping the present and future.
In addition, he encouraged parents to take an active role in fostering a love for reading in their children, cautioning against solely relying on social media for information, as it does not equate to being a true reader.
He also urged ANA to develop targeted programs that promote reading, reinforcing the idea that while not every leader needs to be a writer, every leader should be an avid reader.
“The writer is the one who documents where you are so that you can plan and move to where you are going. The role of the writer in nation-building is, therefore, a role that has no substitute.
The youths of Nigeria should not wait for tomorrow to lead; they should take their future today,” he said.
