Former President Olusegun Obasanjo warned on Tuesday that Nigeria’s future is imperiled by the growing number of out-of-school children, a crisis he said could fuel insecurity and undermine national stability as the country’s population surges toward 400 million by mid-century.
“If we fail to prepare for these challenges, the Boko Haram of today will be child’s play,” Mr. Obasanjo said at the inauguration of the Bakhita ICT Centre at the Catholic Secretariat in Sokoto. He pointed to the more than 24 million Nigerian children currently excluded from formal education as a looming threat.
The 87-year-old, who governed Africa’s most populous nation from 1999 to 2007, urged leaders to address the crisis with honesty and inclusiveness. “Nigeria is not a difficult country to rule if leaders are honest with themselves, with God, and with the people,” he said.
Mr. Obasanjo argued that Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity, often perceived as a fault line, could be harnessed as a strength.
“There are many good things in Nigeria. These are shown in our unity in diversity, and Nigeria is what it is today because of its diversity,” he said. “If diversity is managed with good governance and inclusiveness, then we will be respected and counted among the leading nations in the world.”
Education, he stressed, remains the foundation of any meaningful progress. “No matter our religion, tribe, culture or language, we cannot develop our full potential without education,” he said.
The former president also praised local leaders for promoting unity and investment in learning. He commended Sokoto State governor Ahmed Aliyu, Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, and Bishop Matthew Kukah for supporting initiatives that foster both reconciliation and development.
Bishop Kukah, in his remarks, described the new ICT centre — funded by philanthropist Afe Babalola — as an open resource for all citizens. The centre, he said, will offer courses in computer literacy, software development and data science.
The Sultan of Sokoto lauded Mr. Obasanjo’s consistent advocacy for national cohesion. He called on Nigerians to overcome divisions and “come together to confront insecurity and drive development.”