I’m In Hurry To See Nigeria Rise, Getting Close To My Departure Lounge — Obasanjo
I’m In Hurry To See Nigeria Rise, Getting Close To My Departure Lounge — Obasanjo
“All my writings have been aimed at making Nigeria better because I strongly believe that Nigeria can be made better and I also believe in documentation,” he said.
When a former head of state says he’s “getting close to the departure lounge,” it is not just a reflection on age — it is a powerful signal of urgency. Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo has once again stirred the national conscience with deeply emotional words, underscoring his life’s commitment to Nigeria’s progress and the narrowing window he feels he has left to witness the nation rise.
A Life of Service — But the Work Isn’t Done
Obasanjo’s track record is long and complex. From military ruler to democratically elected president, and later as a statesman and global envoy, his fingerprints are etched across Nigeria’s post-independence history. But despite all the years of service, he remains restless.
His recent statement reveals a profound truth: he is in a race against time — not for personal ambition, but to see the fruits of a dream he’s spent decades cultivating — a united, secure, and prosperous Nigeria.
For him, it’s no longer just about legacy. It’s about witnessing tangible progress before the final curtain falls.
The Power of Documentation
Obasanjo emphasizes his writings — books, letters, reports, and public speeches — as tools of transformation. In a country often accused of having a poor memory and a disregard for history, documentation becomes more than just record-keeping. It becomes activism. It becomes resistance. It becomes vision.
This belief in documentation is an invitation — or perhaps a challenge — to Nigeria’s younger generation: write, document, engage, and hold power accountable. Tell the Nigerian story as it is — and as it should be.
Why the Urgency Matters
Obasanjo’s urgency is symbolic of a broader national impatience. Nigerians — both at home and in the diaspora — are growing weary of the cyclical failures of leadership, corruption, insecurity, and economic instability. From rising inflation to surging youth unemployment and an exodus of talent (“japa”), the symptoms of a country in distress are glaring.
Yet, from his vantage point, Obasanjo still believes in Nigeria. He believes change is possible — but it must come faster, and it must come now.
