Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised the Federal Government to adopt the Zimbabwean model to tackle the current surge in inflation.
Speaking at a Youth leadership symposium on Monday titled “Opportunities for Peace: Roles of The Youths in Conflict Prevention in Africa” held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, the state capital, to mark his 87th birthday, he urged Nigerian youths to prioritize peace over confrontation to address issues in Africa.
Obasanjo, who turned 87 today highlighted Nigeria’s inflation rate of 29.9 per cent and suggested seeking solutions from Zimbabwe.
“When the time is rough and tough, the tough must get going..no problem is new and no problem will be permanent. Committing suicide is not the end of any problem, confront it and take it to God because he could do anything. When you have a problem look at those who have had this problem before and how they overcame it
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“We have this problem of galloping inflation in the country now but do we have a country with such problems recently? Yes we do, Zimbabwe had this problem recently. Shouldn’t we ask them how they did it even if our approach will be different? Even if whatever we shall be doing will be different but we can ask questions to navigate our way out,” he said.
The symposium, organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue in collaboration with the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, focused on promoting peace and harmony in Africa.
Emphasising the importance of fostering love, tolerance, and peace, he urged African youths to reject conflict and violence. He stressed the need to instil a culture of peace and security among young people, citing biblical examples of individuals who contributed to peace and stability.
Obasanjo encouraged youths to remain resilient in the face of challenges, believing in divine assistance to overcome obstacles.
Prof Peter Okebukola, the coordinator of the programme, reiterated Obasanjo’s commitment to empowering African youths to play pivotal roles in achieving peace across the continent. He underscored the significance of meaningful youth involvement in policymaking and international collaboration to create a more peaceful society.
