Poverty: Obasanjo Calls For Urgent Action, Cites China’s Success

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has called for the urgent end to abject poverty across Africa.

Speaking during Dele Momodu’s leadership lecture, ‘How to end hunger and poverty in Africa,’ Obasanjo opined that Nigeria can lift itself from its poverty quagmire if China could lift 700 million people out of poverty.

While proffering a lasting solution to hunger across Africa, Obasanjo insisted that “education is one of the tools we can use to banish poverty. Where there’s no education, invariably, there will be poverty.”

He posited that leadership is the best tool for removing poverty, adding that all human endeavours thrive when there is healthy leadership.

The former president warned that international communities would not take Africa seriously until it eradicates poverty.

According to him, “Leadership is the greatest ingredient for ending poverty. There’s no human endeavour that does not thrive on leadership.

“To get it right, we must ensure no child is uneducated.

“Nigeria can eliminate hunger and poverty with integrity, discipline and good governance.

“We can do it if China can lift 700 million people out of poverty.

“Nigeria should have no business with abject poverty. If we don’t take responsibility, we all sit on a gunpowder keg.

“Until we banish poverty in Africa, international communities will not recognize us as a serious continent.”