In a candid keynote address titled “Burden and Blessing of Leadership,” Chief Olusegun Obasanjo looked back at his 1999 election as a defining moment in Nigerian history.
He admitted that while the public was full of hope, that same hope turned into "murmurs" when the country didn't change instantly.
Obasanjo inherited a nation struggling with institutional failure. He believes Nigerians' desire for a "miracle" was a natural reaction to the hardships of the past.
He emphasized that while a leader has many aides, the responsibility for a final decision cannot be shared. It "settles on one pair of shoulders."
Having served as both a military and civilian leader, Obasanjo used his 89th birthday to warn future leaders that the job is often a lonely and misunderstood journey.
The colloquium was attended by international delegates, where Obasanjo urged the next generation of African leaders to prepare for the "burden" of leadership rather than seeking it for comfort.
