Generations will pay from current Africa’s debt – Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said there was no option for the next generations of Africans other than to help in the repayment of the debt burden incurred by current leaders.

It would be recalled that Obasanjo as the country’s President in 2003 secured a debt relief for Nigeria, likewise his counterpart from Algeria at the same period.

Obasanjo, however, noted that with the level of mismanagement of the previous debts written off, it would be almost impossible for any administration to get a similar gesture in the continent.

Obasanjo said this at an engagement programme with the 2023 awardees of Future Africa Leaders Foundation, an initiative of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

Obasanjo noted that the debts were a trap that no individual or nation should fall into as it constitutes an albatross on any economy.

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The former president who asserted that leadership was the number one problem facing the continent emphasised that,”the coming generations will have no choice but pay the current debt being incurred by different countries in the continent.”

He commended Pastor Oyakhilome for the efforts put into building leaders, adding that the nation needed more people like him to address the leadership crisis facing the continent.

Highlighting the qualities of a leader during the question and answer session, Obasanjo said, “a leader should be able to set good examples, be bold and courageous when making decisions, accept mistakes and learn from them, as well as have a realistic dream.”