By Ata Ukuta

The recent radio interview where former President Olusegun Obasanjo said “My advice for Nigerian youths is that they should never let anybody tell them that you are the leaders of tomorrow. If you wait for tomorrow before you take over leadership, that tomorrow may not come. They will destroy it.” can be taken with a pinch of salt because historically Obasanjo does not see eye to eye with the two individuals he was obviously referring to. Without needing the services of a soothsayer, alfa, real or rented bishop, one can easily conclude that Obasanjo was referring to the presidential flag bearers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – his former vice president Atiku Abubakar who are both over 70 years of age by conservative estimation. 

However, taking a closer look at Obasanjo’s statement and what is presently happening in Nigeria, one can say his words ring true in many respects. For starters, no sane observer can objectively say the obviously unhealthy and allegedly corrupt Tinubu who has been overseeing Lagos State for two decades can turn Nigeria around looking at his antecedents, actions, and recent utterances. And the fact that it is his generation that brought us into the deep and dark mess we presently find ourselves as a nation. The same can be said about Atiku Abubakar whose Fulani tribe is directly or indirectly linked to all the insecurity challenges we are presently facing in Nigeria. And who has repeatedly shown his true colours by being supportive of policies like open grazing and deleting his social media message where he initially criticized the killing of Deborah Samuel – the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto student that was killed publicly in a most gruesome manner by her fellow students.

One of the reasons we are at this crossroad of either getting leaders who can mend and amend Nigeria or support secessionists like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, is because we allowed Nigerians who were either motivated by ethnicity, religion, or personal interest to guide us in the past. We allowed the likes of Nasir El Rufia, Bola Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi and Chris Ngige to lead us astray while pursuing their personal political agenda. After witnessing what has happened in the Buhari years it is a crime for Bola Tinubu who was a principal player in Buhari’s enthronement and has remained non-apologetic, to succeed him. Atiku is a relic of the past that no sane Nigerian youth from whatever part of Nigeria should be associated with in regard to him becoming the president of Nigeria at an official age of 76 years. If you know any youth supporting the flag bearers of the two parties that have almost destroyed Nigeria, do yourself a favour – never trust them, because they have sold their souls and can sell you whenever they have the opportunity.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – Towncryyers