Obasanjo, Ooni of Ife, Gov. Adeleke Call for Urgent Action to End Poverty in Africa

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke have called for decisive steps to eradicate poverty across Africa, stressing that Nigeria has no excuse to remain trapped in underdevelopment.

The trio made the call during the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture titled “How to End Hunger and Poverty in Africa,” held at the Dele Momodu Leadership Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Delivering the keynote address, Chief Obasanjo emphasized that security and education are fundamental to tackling hunger and poverty. He pointed to China’s success in lifting over 700 million people out of poverty as a model Nigeria and other African nations can emulate.

“If China can do it, Nigeria has no business with abject poverty,” he said. “Security must come first, followed by education and purposeful leadership. Without education, poverty is inevitable. Without strong leadership, nothing thrives.”

The former president stressed that integrity, discipline, and good governance are the key ingredients needed to create lasting change, warning that failure to act would leave the country sitting on a “gunpowder keg.”

Echoing Obasanjo’s remarks, the Ooni of Ife called for deeper patriotism and support for homegrown solutions.

“To break poverty, we must be patriotic in all ramifications — from the food we eat to the clothes we wear,” the monarch said. “It may take time, but we’ll eventually become the envy of the world.”

Governor Adeleke, while applauding Dele Momodu for establishing the leadership centre, decried the disconnect between political leaders and the people.

“Many politicians are too big to be corrected,” he noted. “We need leaders who fear God and listen to wise counsel. I’ve invited President Obasanjo to Osun twice to see the development happening there. I’m building the Atlanta standard of a spaghetti junction.”

The lecture ended with a renewed call for collaboration among leaders, citizens, and institutions to tackle the root causes of poverty and build a prosperous African continent.