Leadership crisis: Obi, Ohakim disagree

Leadership crisis: Obi, Ohakim disagree

The former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has traced the problem of Nigeria to both the leaders and the followers. Obi was speaking during the presentation of the keynote address at the 5th Prof. Celestine Onwuliri Memorial lecture at Chris VI Hotel at Ahiara, Imo State, yesterday.

Obi said that the leaders of Nigeria, all of them inclusive, had not shown passionate concern for the country. He also indicted the followers for not telling the leaders the truth, even when they are on the wrong path.

“Once somebody becomes a local government chairman, in six months, he would dedicate his new house and even bishops will preside at his thanksgiving, praying to God to bless him, even when it is obvious he has stolen the people’s money when the proper attitude would have been to shout, thief, thief!”, Obi said.

Lamenting the growing of the debt profile of the country, leading to the use of over 50 per cent of the budgeted money for debt services and lack of savings culture, Obi called for the total re-examination and overhauling of the country’s financial architecture. Using the savings of many countries as an example, he submitted that if the country has saved, that it would not have experienced inflation.

Disagreeing with him on the problem of leadership, the former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, said that lack of structure and not problem of leadership or followership was the problem of the country. Using Obi as an example, he said that Nigeria had been able to produce fantastic leaders in the past. The event was chaired by Chief Paschal Dozie, while the Special Guest, former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was represented by Sen. Pius Anyim. Many other dignitaries graced the event.

Prof Onwuliri was among those who died in the 2013 Dana plane crash in Lagos.