By Desire Emmanuel
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday, October 18, warned various leaders at the helm of affairs in the country to prioritise the future by investing in it rather than depleting resources meant for generations to come.
Obasanjo said this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the reunion and maiden lecture series of the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), United Kingdom Alumni Association, Nigerian chapter.
The former Nigerian leader said youth are not leaders of tomorrow, insisting that they are leaders of today and they should be part and parcel of leadership today in preparation for tomorrow
Obasanjo delivered a lecture entitled, “The Challenges of Youth in a Fractured World.”
Represented by the Deputy Director, Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute, Professor Samuel Daramola, Obasanjo defined youth as a period between childhood and adulthood marked by vitality, idealism, hope, expectation, dreams, and a touch of adventure and naivety.
He observed that today’s leaders once passed through this phase marked by fancy, energy, beauty and fantasy, but now, the youth face numerous challenges in a fractured world.
“Some of us were young immediately after the second world war; I was. Most of you were young at the height of the Cold War.
“The world was not perfect but there was some order, respect for international law, rules and regulations.
“There were threats but no impunity. They talked of the balance of terror in those days with reasonable stability, predictability, peace and common security with shared responsibility and prosperity among the leading nations of the world.
“The developing nations could breathe reasonably freely. The super powers negotiated and consulted among themselves. Today, the youth face herculean challenges which they must not be left to handle alone,” he said.
Obasanjo called on leaders to prioritise the future by investing in it, rather than depleting resources meant for generations to come.
He stressed that the youth must be incorporated into all aspects of the family, private and public lives.
Obasanjo, the association’s grand patron, encouraged youths to develop a tough and resilient character, essential for self-reliance and breakthrough in a fractured world.
“Youth are not leaders of tomorrow, they are leaders today. Let them be part and parcel of leadership today in preparation for tomorrow,” he said.
Earlier, the President of the association, Major General Oluwaseun Oshinowo (retd), explained that the association was inaugurated eight years ago, saying that part of this year’s meeting was to discuss critical issues that would move the nation forward.
