From Shafa’atu Sulaiman, Sokoto
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for urgent action to address Nigeria’s education crisis, warning that the country risks a future security catastrophe if millions of out-of-school children are left uneducated.
Speaking in Sokoto at the commissioning of the Bakhita ICT center, the former head of state said that human development, skill acquisition, and empowerment must remain central to Nigeria’s survival.
“We have 24 million children that should be in school but are not. You don’t need an oracle to know that will be the recruiting ground for the Boko Haram of tomorrow, iIf we fail to prepare for that now, the Boko Haram of today will be a child’s play.”
The elder statesman emphasized that Nigeria’s diversity should be harnessed as a strength, not a weakness, adding that inclusive governance and investment in education are critical for stability.
He recalled that his administration had launched the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and later the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme to expand access to learning. “No matter our religion, tribe or culture, nobody can develop their innate ability unless educated,” he noted.
While praising Bishop Kukah for his outspoken advocacy, Obasanjo urged Nigerians to take charge of their own narrative instead of allowing outsiders to define the country.
“Things are bad in Nigeria, but there are also many good things. Our diversity, if taken along with good governance, will make Nigeria respected among the leading nations of the world by 2050,” he said.
He urged policymakers to prepare young Nigerians for a digital future, stressing the need to go “beyond computers” to skills that will be relevant in a fast-changing global economy.
On agriculture, Obasanjo questioned why Nigeria still imports staple food despite having vast arable land and manpower. “If farmers cannot make profit, they will not continue planting. Yet billions of dollars are spent importing food, even by the government that is bound to depress the market for local farmers”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, Obasanjo credited the role of traditional leaders in promoting inclusion, recalling how the late Sultan of Sokoto supported women’s participation in elections in 1979 when they first gained the right to vote in Northern Nigeria.
He concluded with a call for unity and national purpose, describing the Sokoto programme as a model for how Nigerians of all backgrounds can come together.
“Those things that are essential to hold us together like knowledge, empowerment, and inclusion are what will make Nigeria strong,” he said.
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