Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Nigerian government to turn to Zimbabwe for insights on combating the current staggering inflation plaguing the nation, suggesting that the southern African country’s recent triumph over similar economic woes could offer valuable lessons.
Speaking at a youth leadership symposium themed “Opportunities for Peace: Roles of the Youths in Conflict Prevention in Africa,” held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Obasanjo emphasized the imperative of confronting challenges head-on and drawing inspiration from past successes.
With Nigeria grappling with a record-breaking inflation rate of 29.9 percent, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, and widespread protests erupting over soaring living costs, Obasanjo stressed the importance of seeking guidance from Zimbabwe’s experience.
He said, “We must begin to bring up our youths in the culture of peace and security. The chances are where we have a culture of love, we will have peace. The first thing to do is to inculcate in the youths the ingredients of peace which is love and fellowship.
“Look at the attributes that God gave us to have a life of stability, life of peace, they are as I mentioned, kindness, mercy and forgiveness. All of these attributes are professed by God and He shared same with us to make life pleasant for us. But when we build negative attitudes, pull him down, then there will be a problem.”
Referencing biblical figures like Esther and Joseph, who navigated crises through dialogue and compassion, Obasanjo underscored the pivotal role of youth in fostering peace and stability on the African continent.
“The youth must be at the vanguard of pursuing peace. They must be able to persuade those who believe that gun and violence is the way out of conflicts to have a rethink. The way out is conversation and dialogue.
“We have had our issues here during the civil war. We killed ourselves mercilessly and destroyed our best facilities but we still came back to the roundtable to get the challenge resolved.
“Youths must develop the culture of peace, the culture of humaneness, the culture of living the way God wants us to live,” Obasanjo added.
Coordinator of the symposium, Prof. Peter Okebukola, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for meaningful youth involvement in driving positive change and fostering a harmonious society.
As Nigeria seeks solutions to its economic woes, Obasanjo’s call to look beyond borders for inspiration underscores the urgency of addressing the nation’s pressing challenges and charting a path toward prosperity and stability.
