A former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the country has no reason to remain poor.
Obasanjo stated this during interview on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, where he said Nigeria has enough natural and human resources to produce what its people need and build a prosperous economy.
Obasanjo blamed part of Nigeria’s economic difficulties on policies that encourage the importation of goods that could be produced locally, saying such practices discourage farmers and other domestic producers.
He wondered why a country blessed with vast land, water, rainfall and a large population should struggle with poverty.
“Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don’t have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don’t have or the water that we don’t have or the rain that we don’t have?” he asked.
According to him, Nigeria’s agricultural potential should be treated as a major economic asset rather than allowing the country to depend heavily on foreign products.
The ex-Nigerian leader recalled his experience as chairman of the African Union when he travelled to Guinea-Bissau alongside John Kufuor, who was then chairman of the Economic Community of West African States.
He added that the two leaders observed that Guinea-Bissau had fertile land and agricultural resources but still depended on imported food. He said they saw bananas and other fruits growing naturally as they approached the country, only to find imported apples and grapes being served at their hotel.
“That’s part of the reason why we are poor,” Obasanjo added.