Nigeria now burial ground of policies – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over Nigeria’s stagnation in terms of growth and development, lamenting that the nation has become a “burial ground of policies” due to the lack of proper implementation.

Speaking at the 8th Brigadier General Michael Agu (retired) annual distinguished lecture and awards ceremony at the Obasanjo Space Centre in Abuja, Obasanjo stated, “It is not enough for leaders to have policies or make statements. Nigeria is not lacking in policies, but these policies often go unimplemented or unexecuted.”

He stressed that true progress is made through decisive action, not by mere intent.

“Those who make progress do so by taking actions, not by taking two steps forward and three steps backward,” he added.

Obasanjo warned that as long as Nigeria continues on this inconsistent path, progress will remain elusive. He urged the country to focus on achievable goals instead of trying to do everything at once, becoming “a jack of all trades and master of none.”

Obasanjo also reflected on his administration’s efforts in space technology, revealing that over 100 Nigerian engineers were sent to China for specialized training when the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was established.

The plan was to launch Nigeria’s first satellite with China’s help, followed by a second collaboration, and eventually a third satellite designed and launched solely by Nigeria.

In response to this, the Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of four additional satellites for Nigeria.

In a separate development, Obasanjo disclosed that he is nearly 25% deaf, a condition he discovered during a medical checkup abroad.

Speaking in Bauchi, where he donated hearing aids to 2,000 people, Obasanjo said, “I didn’t believe it at first when I couldn’t hear someone clearly, but there’s no stigma in this; no one is 100 percent healthy.” He noted that many people are unaware of their hearing loss until it is medically diagnosed.