Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has harped on the need to actively involve young people in governance and development processes, describing them as central to Nigeria’s future.
While calling on Nigerians to take collective responsibility for the country’s future, he insisted that “every citizen, from market women to professionals and political leaders, must contribute to shaping the country’s direction.”
Obasanjo made this known on Thursday at the 6th Annual Colloquium held to mark the 65th birthday of the founder of Trinity church, Pastor Itua Ighodalo, with the theme: “The Future of Nigeria.”
The former president, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Executive Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute, Prof. Adedeji Daramola, stressed that nation-building is a shared duty that cuts across all segments of society.
He asserted that meaningful progress will remain elusive unless citizens unite to address national challenges.
According to him, “Until we come together to resolve this matter, there’s no way we can just expect a miracle to happen.
“Everybody has a role to play. It’s a collective responsibility for us. Nigeria’s future remains promising despite current challenges. Every citizen, from market women to professionals and political leaders, must contribute to shaping the country’s direction.”
Reiterating his position, Obasanjo declared: “Until we come together to work and fix Nigeria, nobody will fix it for us.”
He noted that while leadership remains critical, the broader issue lies in collective participation and accountability.
The ex-president also emphasised the need to actively involve young people in governance and development processes, describing them as central to Nigeria’s future.
“The future is now and the country should involve the youth in governance; the future of Nigeria is in the youth,” he said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage, he pointed out that, “the country’s youthful population presents a unique opportunity that must be harnessed through technology and innovation.
“With the current artificial intelligence and technological dispensation, Nigeria should take advantage of it in such a way that we can make our youth benefit from it,” he added.
