Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a former
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr. Olisa Agbakoba
recently engaged themselves in debate over the need for
generational shift Associate Editor, Taiwo Adisa, examines the
arguments on either side.
In July, the National Assembly gave the younger generation of
Nigerians a good lift when it passed the ‘Not too young to run
bill,’ one of the constitution amendment bills.
The ‘Not too young to run’ campaigners have been all over the
place blaming the old guard for refusing to quit the stage even in
old age.
They had insisted on the need to lower the age qualification for
elective office to accommodate more young people and open up their
access to power.
In the wake of that campaign, former President Olusegun Obasanjo
and Lagos lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) had engaged each other
in heated discussions over the propriety of the younger generation
to take over from the old brigade lead. Agbakoba had in a letter
dated July 20, 2017 written the former President asking him to join
the search for younger Nigerians to lead the country.
His letter came on the heels of insinuations that the former
Generals including Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdusalami Abubakar
and Theophilus Danjuma had kick started the search for Nigeria’s
next President.
Agbakoba, had in the letter addressed to Obasanjo pleaded that
the former Nigerian leader join hands with others to look for
“young and vibrant leaders” to run the affairs of the country,
adding that the class of aged political leaders had held the
country back.
The former NBA President wrote: “Our country is held back by a
crop of leadership that has outlived usefulness and effectiveness
as a result of old age.
“If beggars believe that there is no culture among our political
elite, to encourage younger people with new ideas to aspire to
positions of leadership, in particular the office of the
President.
“Your Excellency was 39 years when you became Head of State.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was 40 when he founded the National Council of
Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Obafemi Awolowo was 43 when he
became Premier of Western Region. Ahmadu Bello was 40 when he
co-founded the NPC.
Odumegwu Ojukwu and Yakubu Gowon were in their 30s when they
took centre stage in Nigerian politics.
“It seems to me a great contradiction that after a young vibrant
set of leaders got Nigeria off the ground in the early 60s, Nigeria
has steadily descended into chaos and is probably now ranked as one
of the most ungovernable countries in the world.
“I feel compelled to request your intervention because you are
one of few past leaders with enough clout to galvanise the
political elite to produce like in France, a Macron or in Canada, a
Trudeau.”
While contending that the time for generational change was
here,Agbakoba said that the likes of Obasanjo should play their
part in bringing on the new order of political leadership.
He further wrote: “I believe it is time for our elder statesmen
to give way to a young new vibrant political leadership.
“I am also convinced that with your support this can be achieved
and expanded to become high policy amongst all political parties in
Nigeria. Nigeria will greatly benefit.
“I strongly feel that a radical change in political leadership
from old to new will be transformational.”
Exactly a week after Agbakoba’s letter was addressed to him,
Obasanjo also put pen on paper to reply the eminent lawyer. The two
time Nigerian Head of government lashed out at the younger
generation for failing to seize the opportunities for leadership
and disappointing the old brigade. He declared in his letter dated
July 28 that the younger generation of Nigerians lack leadership
qualities.
Obasanjo stated that he had been left disappointed in the lack
of leadership initiatives by the youth, adding that many of them
had wasted the opportunities thrusted on them to lead.
In the letter titled” RE: NIGERIA NEEDS A GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, “Obasanjo said that rather than sit back to
complain that the old brigade of leaders have held on to power,
even at their old age, Agbakoba and the younger generation should
seize the opportunities for leadership.
According to him, it was wrong for the younger generation to
only wait to “inherit dead means shoes,” rather than take proper
steps to gain leadership.
Obasanjo wrote: “I am actually not oblivious of the points you
raised concerning how General Gowon, myself and some others you
mentioned became prominent figures in the running of the affairs of
the country at a rather young age. Be that as it may, what you must
not lose sight of is the fact that some of us were thrown up and
brought into limelight by circumstances which were not of our own
making.
“Having been thrown into the deeper end of the pool, so to
speak, some of us made great efforts with determination,
commitment, broad national outlook, integrity and uncommon zeal to
shoulder the responsibilities thrust on us. We recorded varying
degrees of successes.”
He said that his generation, on assumption of power at
relatively early ages made up for the youthfulness with dynamism,
nationalism, commitment and lofty ideas.
He also stated that it is sad that the successor generation of
Nigerians have in most cases resorted to “work avoidance” in the
quest for leadership.
He wrote: “Most members of the younger generation of Nigerians
are mostly contented with waiting for dead men’s shoes and are
unwilling to beat an alternative path to leadership.
“In such a situation, it is to be expected and actually it is
human that those with some head start in life will not concede such
advantages freely and based on their innate goodness. The world, as
I know it, is powered by shrewd hard-headed calculating individuals
and the cornucopia of their mercy is decidedly thin and it is
unlike God’s rain that falls on the just and the wicked alike.”
Obasanjo stated that the successor generations have failed to
position themselves to lead, adding that he has seen many members
of the younger generation miss opportunities to provide
leadership.
“I look back at some members of the younger generation and I am
miffed at the missed opportunities. I am equally saddened that
although we the so-called older generation did facilitate some
semblance of infrastructural development, today the gains made have
been mostly pushed down the drain by some of those privileged young
people saddled with similar responsibilities in the recent past,”
the former President wrote.
He declared that the younger generation have in the recent past
been a complete disappointment and failure in their various
appointed or elected positions adding that some of the young people
in public or private sector have frittered the prospect of being at
the vanguard of sustainable development.
He also stated that whereas the earlier generation of leaders
pioneered development, the youths are governed by crass
materialism, self-centeredness and opportunism.
He wrote: “While these failed young men and women should not be
a disincentive to support other young people, I don’t think that
the older people should be excluded in our leadership recruitment
process.
“For me, if I find men and women who have shown profound
commitment and exemplary integrity in their various chosen careers
or professions as well as zeal for the service our fatherland, I
will, of course, give such both my support and inspiration,
notwithstanding their age, circumstances or place of birth.”
He challenged Agbakoba to step out and face the issue of
leadership, adding that the likes of Chief Awolowo and Rd. Nnamdi
Azikiwe were younger than the Lagos lawyer when they threw their
hats in the ring.
The former president wrote: “It is time to take the hard road.
Elisa, it is time to jump down from the fence and the siddon look
corner. It is your fatherland. The time’ is now. Let the young
people organise themselves around positive core values.
“Let them become ideological in the sense of nationalism and
patriotism in this struggle. This is a democracy. Politics is a
game of numbers at the end of the day. The youth are in the
majority. What is the excuse? So long as the older generation do
not have the incentive to step down, for so long will they continue
to reinvent and reappoint and resurface.
“The generational shift will need to be worked for and worked
at. We did that before, but it was neither sustained by performance
nor by commitment. But we should not give up.
“I personally hold myself available to mentor and to guide but I
cannot jump over the democratic system or put democracy aside.
Olisa, I do hope you are doing well and understand my
standpoint.”
It looks difficult to fault the arguments on both sides. While
the younger generation has always argued about limited space
offered them by the old brigade, the older political class has also
insisted it will not be shoved aside in the leadership recruitment
game. Like Obasanjo had said, the younger generation needs to show
desire, capacity and responsibility to earn the confidence of the
old brigade.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a former
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr. Olisa Agbakoba
recently engaged themselves in debate over the need for
generational shift Associate Editor, Taiwo Adisa, examines the
arguments on either side.
In July, the National Assembly gave the younger generation of
Nigerians a good lift when it passed the ‘Not too young to run
bill,’ one of the constitution amendment bills.
The ‘Not too young to run’ campaigners have been all over the
place blaming the old guard for refusing to quit the stage even in
old age.
They had insisted on the need to lower the age qualification for
elective office to accommodate more young people and open up their
access to power.
In the wake of that campaign, former President Olusegun Obasanjo
and Lagos lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) had engaged each other
in heated discussions over the propriety of the younger generation
to take over from the old brigade lead. Agbakoba had in a letter
dated July 20, 2017 written the former President asking him to join
the search for younger Nigerians to lead the country.
His letter came on the heels of insinuations that the former
Generals including Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdusalami Abubakar
and Theophilus Danjuma had kick started the search for Nigeria’s
next President.
Agbakoba, had in the letter addressed to Obasanjo pleaded that
the former Nigerian leader join hands with others to look for
“young and vibrant leaders” to run the affairs of the country,
adding that the class of aged political leaders had held the
country back.
The former NBA President wrote: “Our country is held back by a
crop of leadership that has outlived usefulness and effectiveness
as a result of old age.
“If beggars believe that there is no culture among our political
elite, to encourage younger people with new ideas to aspire to
positions of leadership, in particular the office of the
President.
“Your Excellency was 39 years when you became Head of State.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was 40 when he founded the National Council of
Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Obafemi Awolowo was 43 when he
became Premier of Western Region. Ahmadu Bello was 40 when he
co-founded the NPC.
Odumegwu Ojukwu and Yakubu Gowon were in their 30s when they
took centre stage in Nigerian politics.
“It seems to me a great contradiction that after a young vibrant
set of leaders got Nigeria off the ground in the early 60s, Nigeria
has steadily descended into chaos and is probably now ranked as one
of the most ungovernable countries in the world.
“I feel compelled to request your intervention because you are
one of few past leaders with enough clout to galvanise the
political elite to produce like in France, a Macron or in Canada, a
Trudeau.”
While contending that the time for generational change was
here,Agbakoba said that the likes of Obasanjo should play their
part in bringing on the new order of political leadership.
He further wrote: “I believe it is time for our elder statesmen
to give way to a young new vibrant political leadership.
“I am also convinced that with your support this can be achieved
and expanded to become high policy amongst all political parties in
Nigeria. Nigeria will greatly benefit.
“I strongly feel that a radical change in political leadership
from old to new will be transformational.”
Exactly a week after Agbakoba’s letter was addressed to him,
Obasanjo also put pen on paper to reply the eminent lawyer. The two
time Nigerian Head of government lashed out at the younger
generation for failing to seize the opportunities for leadership
and disappointing the old brigade. He declared in his letter dated
July 28 that the younger generation of Nigerians lack leadership
qualities.
Obasanjo stated that he had been left disappointed in the lack
of leadership initiatives by the youth, adding that many of them
had wasted the opportunities thrusted on them to lead.
In the letter titled” RE: NIGERIA NEEDS A GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, “Obasanjo said that rather than sit back to
complain that the old brigade of leaders have held on to power,
even at their old age, Agbakoba and the younger generation should
seize the opportunities for leadership.
According to him, it was wrong for the younger generation to
only wait to “inherit dead means shoes,” rather than take proper
steps to gain leadership.
Obasanjo wrote: “I am actually not oblivious of the points you
raised concerning how General Gowon, myself and some others you
mentioned became prominent figures in the running of the affairs of
the country at a rather young age. Be that as it may, what you must
not lose sight of is the fact that some of us were thrown up and
brought into limelight by circumstances which were not of our own
making.
“Having been thrown into the deeper end of the pool, so to
speak, some of us made great efforts with determination,
commitment, broad national outlook, integrity and uncommon zeal to
shoulder the responsibilities thrust on us. We recorded varying
degrees of successes.”
He said that his generation, on assumption of power at
relatively early ages made up for the youthfulness with dynamism,
nationalism, commitment and lofty ideas.
He also stated that it is sad that the successor generation of
Nigerians have in most cases resorted to “work avoidance” in the
quest for leadership.
He wrote: “Most members of the younger generation of Nigerians
are mostly contented with waiting for dead men’s shoes and are
unwilling to beat an alternative path to leadership.
“In such a situation, it is to be expected and actually it is
human that those with some head start in life will not concede such
advantages freely and based on their innate goodness. The world, as
I know it, is powered by shrewd hard-headed calculating individuals
and the cornucopia of their mercy is decidedly thin and it is
unlike God’s rain that falls on the just and the wicked alike.”
Obasanjo stated that the successor generations have failed to
position themselves to lead, adding that he has seen many members
of the younger generation miss opportunities to provide
leadership.
“I look back at some members of the younger generation and I am
miffed at the missed opportunities. I am equally saddened that
although we the so-called older generation did facilitate some
semblance of infrastructural development, today the gains made have
been mostly pushed down the drain by some of those privileged young
people saddled with similar responsibilities in the recent past,”
the former President wrote.
He declared that the younger generation have in the recent past
been a complete disappointment and failure in their various
appointed or elected positions adding that some of the young people
in public or private sector have frittered the prospect of being at
the vanguard of sustainable development.
He also stated that whereas the earlier generation of leaders
pioneered development, the youths are governed by crass
materialism, self-centeredness and opportunism.
He wrote: “While these failed young men and women should not be
a disincentive to support other young people, I don’t think that
the older people should be excluded in our leadership recruitment
process.
“For me, if I find men and women who have shown profound
commitment and exemplary integrity in their various chosen careers
or professions as well as zeal for the service our fatherland, I
will, of course, give such both my support and inspiration,
notwithstanding their age, circumstances or place of birth.”
He challenged Agbakoba to step out and face the issue of
leadership, adding that the likes of Chief Awolowo and Rd. Nnamdi
Azikiwe were younger than the Lagos lawyer when they threw their
hats in the ring.
The former president wrote: “It is time to take the hard road.
Elisa, it is time to jump down from the fence and the siddon look
corner. It is your fatherland. The time’ is now. Let the young
people organise themselves around positive core values.
“Let them become ideological in the sense of nationalism and
patriotism in this struggle. This is a democracy. Politics is a
game of numbers at the end of the day. The youth are in the
majority. What is the excuse? So long as the older generation do
not have the incentive to step down, for so long will they continue
to reinvent and reappoint and resurface.
“The generational shift will need to be worked for and worked
at. We did that before, but it was neither sustained by performance
nor by commitment. But we should not give up.
“I personally hold myself available to mentor and to guide but I
cannot jump over the democratic system or put democracy aside.
Olisa, I do hope you are doing well and understand my
standpoint.”
It looks difficult to fault the arguments on both sides. While
the younger generation has always argued about limited space
offered them by the old brigade, the older political class has also
insisted it will not be shoved aside in the leadership recruitment
game. Like Obasanjo had said, the younger generation needs to show
desire, capacity and responsibility to earn the confidence of the
old brigade.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/obasanjo-agbakoba-and-the-questions-of-generational-shift/