Don't wish us dead because you still need us - OBJ

Fmr. President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a Youth Governance Dialogue organised by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State has expressed his concern about the anger and frustration of youths.The former president noted that while his generation had “limitless opportunities but no facilities” in their time, the youth of today “have facilities but little or no opportunities”.

He cited the insurgency in the Northeast, the separatist agitators in the Southeast and militancy in the Niger Delta region as manifestations of anger and frustrations from disillusioned youths. Obasanjo warned that should anger of youths go off, there might be no limit to the extent it could spread.

He appealed to the youth to work hard to help themselves and be ready to pay the price for the right course they believe.

But he said despite all odds, the youth still remained his greatest hope for Nigeria.

Obasanjo noted that when he left secondary school, he received letters of appointments from five establishments and wondered whether any Nigerian university graduate could have such opportunities today.

READ: Civil War was never meant to finish up the Igbo race - OBJ

He pleaded with the nation’s youth not to wish the elders dead, saying they need the elders as mentors and advisers in their journey of life.

“Don’t wish us dead; don’t wish us to disappear because you will need us. You need us as mentors and advisers to mentor and prepare you for the future. You need the experience and assistance of some of us to guide you through life.

“You should not lose hope, you should not feel frustrated. Whenever I go, they always ask me what my fear about Nigeria and Africa is. And I said my greatest fear is youth anger, frustrations and youth explosion, which have no bound.

“We have the Boko Haram in the North, the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Southeast, the militants in the Niger Delta and the Oodua People’s Congress in the Southwest. All of these are expression of anger and frustrations.

“We have what it takes to be great as a nation and we can’t transform this country without the youth. My greatest hope in this country is also the youth. You the youth should work to help yourselves. You must be ready to pay the price for what you stand for,” Obasanjo said.