Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said his imprisonment under the late military head of state, Sani Abacha, underscores the price that often accompanies principled leadership.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun state, at an international colloquium titled ‘Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World’, organised as part of activities marking his 89th birthday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his special assistant on media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president described leadership as both a “heavy burden” and a “profound blessing,” drawing from his experiences in military command, imprisonment and democratic governance.
Reflecting on defining moments in his career, Obasanjo recalled his role as commander of the third marine commando division during the Nigerian civil war, noting that leadership often demands difficult decisions with far-reaching consequences.
He said that in the closing days of the war in 1970, he chose restraint to prevent further civilian casualties, describing the action as an example of the moral weight leaders must bear.
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as civilian president from 1999 to 2007, said the public frequently underestimates the personal cost of leadership.
“My imprisonment was evidence of the price that can accompany principled positions,” he said.
He described leadership as a rare privilege, adding that the opportunity to serve during defining historical moments remains one of its greatest rewards.
The former president cited the 1979 handover to Shehu Shagari — Nigeria’s first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule — as one of the most fulfilling decisions of his career.
On Africa’s development, Obasanjo said the continent’s persistent challenges are largely rooted in governance failures.
“Africa remains richly endowed with natural and human resources but continues to suffer from weak institutions, corruption and self-serving leadership,” he said.
He called for stronger investment in leadership development, institutional reforms and democratic accountability across the continent.
Obasanjo also urged African governments to more effectively engage the global African diaspora, describing it as an underutilised asset capable of accelerating continental renewal.
He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a transformative initiative that could expand markets, attract investment and enhance Africa’s global competitiveness if fully implemented.
“Africa is not a problem to be managed. Africa is a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept,” he said.
Activities marking Obasanjo’s 89th birthday will conclude on Thursday with a distinguished lecture titled ‘The Global African Enlightenment from Chains to Renaissance’.
Jean Robert Pillard, Haiti’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, is expected to deliver the lecture at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.
