Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sharply criticised the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project and the N21 billion spent on the construction of a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing both as wasteful, corrupt, and a reflection of misplaced priorities under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In his new book ‘Nigeria: Past and Future,’ released to mark his 88th birthday, Obasanjo condemned the federal government’s decisions, stating that the Lagos-Calabar highway project, which will cost a staggering N4.93 billion per kilometre, was a form of financial mismanagement.
He highlighted concerns over the lack of competitive bidding for the contract, which was awarded to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech Construction Company, a long-time business associate of Tinubu.
The first phase of the project, running from Eko Atlantic to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, has already cost N1.06 trillion, or six per cent of the total budget.
Obasanjo expressed disappointment over the current state of governance, accusing politicians of prioritising personal enrichment over the well-being of the Nigerian people.
“The majority of those who have been opportune to hold leadership positions are ill-prepared, self-centred, and corrupt, They are out to corruptly enrich themselves while the nation continues to wallow in abject poverty and underdevelopment” he stated, referring to both current and past leaders at various levels of government.
The former president also slammed the expenditure on the Vice President’s new residence, particularly in the context of the country’s economic struggles.
He termed the project “a conduit designed to embezzle public funds” and an example of “small minds” in leadership, pointing out that such spending is particularly egregious in times of hardship.
Obasanjo’s book, which paints a damning portrait of Nigerian leadership, also addresses the issue of mismanagement at the state level.
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He recounted instances of governors who, after accumulating massive debts before taking office, suddenly found the means to pay off their loans within two years of assuming power—raising suspicions of corrupt enrichment.
“The state resources are captured and appropriated to themselves with a pittance to staff and associates to close the mouths of those who could blow the whistle,” Obasanjo said, adding that this pattern of behaviour is widespread across the country with few exceptions.
In addition to his critiques of corruption, Obasanjo advocated for a shift in Nigeria’s political system.
He called for a re-evaluation of Western liberal democracy, suggesting that it may not be the best fit for African nations.
“We should seek democracy within African history, culture, attributes, and characteristics,” he proposed, introducing the concept of “Afrodemocracy” as a possible alternative to Western models.
As the country grapples with growing concerns over governance and national development, Obasanjo’s candid remarks serve as a call for introspection and systemic change in Nigeria’s political landscape.
