Former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has critisised South African leaders for allowing xenophobic attacks to continue in the country.
He was however quick to say that, if the leadership of the country allows its youths to continue killing other fellow Africans, it will be a calamity for South Africa and the African continent as a whole.
The former President who featured on Kaduna based Liberty Radio Programme, Guest of the Week at the weekend said “it is understandable to say the South African youths are being childish, but it is unacceptable for their leaders to watch them go on rampage against fellow Africans.”
He however stated categorically that any leader who allows xenophobic attacks to linger under his watch is not fit to be an African leader.
According to Obasanjo who spoke extensively to Liberty Radio on the newly established Obasanjo Presidential Library, no African country can attain development in isolation.
“They must move together as a continent if the desired development is to be achieved.
“What all African countries must remember is that, Nigeria fought for
decolonisation of most of that African countries. But, whether anyone
remembers what Nigeria did for decolonisation of African countries or not is not even an issue, the issue, the issue is that any African must not be treated as unwanted in any part of Africa.
“Any leader who allows xenophobic attacks to happen and linger under his watch is not fit to be an African leader.
“If youths are behaving childishly, then, what is the leadership doing? It is understandable to see children behaving childishly, but if the leaders also behave childishly, that is a calamity for that country and for Africa”.
Speaking about the Presidential Library, where he built a Church and Mosque, the former President said, as a leader of the country, he needed to lead by example, without bias to any religious group.
He said he was raised in a community where Christian and Muslims co-exist
peacefully and he had lived with that all his life, adding that, even as
President of Nigeria, he used to fast during Ramadan and during lent.
The former President however condemn the situation where people now kill one
another in the name of religion, saying anyone who kills in the name of
religion is an enemy of God.
On the fight against corruption, former President Obasanjo commended
President Muhammadu Buhari led administration on the anti graft war,
reiterating that Buhari has not disappointed him, except that he is weak in
the area of economy.
