Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that Nigeria is in need of men of character who can be firm with the truth in their dealings with power.
He stressed that for the country to make the expected level of progress, it needs people with honour and integrity who would damn whatever consequences to give truth its sacred place in the country.
The former President made the comment while unveiling the Autobiography of Chief Tayo Sowunmi, the Babanla Adinni of Egbaland with the title Footprints of a Rebel in Abeokuta on Saturday.
“Looking at the title of the book, I ask myself, why would someone call himself a rebel, but it is good. The truth is that if you have to live a life of honesty and integrity, you have to become a rebel.
“There would be some time you would be asked have to do something, but you would say no, this is not right. And when you say that you will become a rebel. You may even become a persona non grata”.
“There is no country that we can call our own except Nigeria. Our country, Nigeria, needs more rebels. Those who would look at things straight in the face and say ‘this is not right, ‘this, I will not be part of’, ‘this is not good for Nigeria.” He said
Obasanjo described the Octogenarian and the reputable activist as a man who lived an exemplary life that is worthy of emulation by the younger generation.
The book reviewed by one of the daughters of Chief MKO Abiola, Mrs Hafsat Abiola Costello, was unveiled as part of the 80th birthday celebration Elder Sowunmi.
The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, in a speech titled “Worthy Nation Building Legacies by the older generation of Nigerians,” condemned refusal of the older generation to relinquish the political stage for the younger generation.
He said that Nigeria’s pace of development is affected by the marginalization of youths in politics and the exit of progressives from politics.
He said that it was rather shameful that the aged cling to power in Nigeria while the younger generation is at the pivot in other countries.
