Nigeria Needs More Rebels Now, Says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for courage to speak truth to power. He also urged Nigerians to be prepared to be seen as rebels for the country to make real progress.

Speaking in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday during the unveiling of the ‘’Footprints of  a Rebel’’, an autobiography of the Babanla Adinni Egbaland, Chief Tayo Sowunmi, the former president said the country needs ‘more rebels’ at this time.

According to him, having rebels remains one of the greatest steps to rebuilding Nigeria. Obasanjo posited that whoever must live a life of honesty and integrity must be a rebel.

‘‘Looking at the title of the book, I ask myself, why would someone call himself a rebel? But it is good,’’ he said.

‘’But the truth is that if you have to lead a life of honesty and integrity, you have to become a rebel. There would be some time you would be asked to do something, but you would say no, this is not right. And when you say that, you will become a rebel. You may even become a persona non grata.

‘’There is no (other) country we can call our own except Nigeria. Our country needs more rebels. Those who would look at things straight in the face and say, ‘this is not right, I will not be part of this; this is not good for Nigeria.’’

Obasanjo described the Octogenarian as having led a life of integrity worthy of emulation by Nigerian youths.