Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s former president, outlined the major problems which he faced during his eight-year tenure in office.
Obasanjo spoke about his years of presidency on Tuesday, August 4, at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state, as he received Ade Abolurin (rtd), the former corp commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC).
According to Vanguard, he said that bunkering and vandalism were the “most challenging problems” and he therefore insured the institutionalisation of the NSCDC through an act of Parliament to deal with the issue.
“Some of the things that I had to confront during my tenure as President of Nigeria were pipeline vandalism, holdup, and stealing of crude oil.
“That stealing is what they call bunkering; there is nothing like bunkering, it is outright stealing. We used all the available agencies and resources; and your organisation as a voluntary organisation, unpaid, unremunerated, unrecognised and not institutionalised, was doing great job without being armed and without being equipped.
“That meant the height of commitment, nationalism, patriotism and service to fatherland and service to humanity. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to move ahead for an act of Parliament to be able to organise you into what you are today,” the former president said.
He further lamented over the “lack of continuity” in Nigeria expressing hope, however, that this will not be the problem in the NSCDC.
“I hope in your own case and this organisation, there would be continuity; continuity not for the man coming after you to do everything exactly like you have done it.
“It is not possible even if the person coming after you is your biological son, he wouldn’t do everything the way you would want to do it. As I am talking to you, I am also talking to your successor and I believe that where you have taken this organisation to, those coming after you will be able to build over it,” he said.
Chief Obasanjo recently spoke out on the issue of bad journalism when he received the former secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists on his 53rd birthday. Obasanjo, the author of “My Watch” an autobiography, criticised non-professionals working in the sphere of media calling them “bad eggs” who should not be allowed to cover the country’s news.
Obasanjo spoke about his years of presidency on Tuesday, August 4, at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state, as he received Ade Abolurin (rtd), the former corp commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC).
According to Vanguard, he said that bunkering and vandalism were the “most challenging problems” and he therefore insured the institutionalisation of the NSCDC through an act of Parliament to deal with the issue.
“Some of the things that I had to confront during my tenure as President of Nigeria were pipeline vandalism, holdup, and stealing of crude oil.
“That stealing is what they call bunkering; there is nothing like bunkering, it is outright stealing. We used all the available agencies and resources; and your organisation as a voluntary organisation, unpaid, unremunerated, unrecognised and not institutionalised, was doing great job without being armed and without being equipped.
“That meant the height of commitment, nationalism, patriotism and service to fatherland and service to humanity. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to move ahead for an act of Parliament to be able to organise you into what you are today,” the former president said.
He further lamented over the “lack of continuity” in Nigeria expressing hope, however, that this will not be the problem in the NSCDC.
“I hope in your own case and this organisation, there would be continuity; continuity not for the man coming after you to do everything exactly like you have done it.
“It is not possible even if the person coming after you is your biological son, he wouldn’t do everything the way you would want to do it. As I am talking to you, I am also talking to your successor and I believe that where you have taken this organisation to, those coming after you will be able to build over it,” he said.
Chief Obasanjo recently spoke out on the issue of bad journalism when he received the former secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists on his 53rd birthday. Obasanjo, the author of “My Watch” an autobiography, criticised non-professionals working in the sphere of media calling them “bad eggs” who should not be allowed to cover the country’s news.
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