Olusegun Obasanjo
Olusegun Obasanjo
Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, GCFRis a former Nigerian Army general who was President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. A Nigerian of Yoruba descent, Obasanjo was a career soldier before serving twice as his nation's head of state, as a military ruler from 13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979 and as a democratically elected president from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. From July 2004 to January 2006, Obasanjo also served as Chairperson of the African Union...
NationalityNigerian
ProfessionWorld Leader
Date of Birth5 March 1937
CountryNigeria
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge that our foreign friends are welcome to join in our endeavor to develop the resources of our country,
It has been a tough campaign, but once again Nigerians have proved themselves and turned out in numbers for this historic day, at least in my constituency, ... We are hopeful the transition to democracy will be smooth, and with the rest of the world watching, Nigeria will once again regain its former glory.
Last time I was here there were pillboxes, roadblocks and sandbags on the road from the airport. There is only one set of sandbags this time,
is a flow out of Plateau. If the governor in Plateau had taken the right steps, there would not have been Kano. You don't deal with symptoms and leave the disease.
Religion mixed with politics in a multi-faith country like ours portends destruction and devastation.
When I left office in 1979, I was about the only one who had really left public office on my own.
I am a black man inside and outside and you are white men on the outside, but inside, you are Africans like me.
We regard America and Europe as old friends. We keep old friends, but we make new friends in Japan, India, and China.
We are happy that we are witnessing this day. Our government shall do its best to meet the hopes and aspirations of our people,
Those are areas where one should not say they are expecting too much, because they are areas where things should be done and should be done fast,
We must demonstrate the political will and assume the responsibility for the historical wrongs that are owed to the victims of slavery, that an apology be extended by states which actively practiced and benefited themselves from slavery.
I have directed the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book and we will make sure that sort of situation does not arise again.
While there are enormous challenges ahead, we have recorded some modest achievements in the areas of peace and stability.
People were expecting us to run before we walk, ... People should be patient with us, bearing in mind that even the (Western) countries that are shouting at the top today about being democracies, it took them time to get there.