Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern over the pervasive corruption among Nigerian politicians, calling for the imprisonment of those involved in corrupt practices. Speaking virtually on Thursday during the memorial lecture of the late cleric Denis Slattery in Lagos, Obasanjo criticized the conduct of many political officeholders, stating that their criminal behavior disqualifies them from serving the public justly.
Obasanjo, who led Nigeria as its first democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007, said, “If you examine the people in government today at both executive and legislative levels, some of them should be permanently behind bars for their past misdemeanors and criminal misconduct.”
The former president, known for his outspoken views on corruption, further emphasized the incompatibility of corrupt leaders with justice. “You cannot expect thieves to deliver fair judgment in favor of the rightful owner of the property,” Obasanjo remarked.
The elder statesman recounted a personal experience where he confronted a politician who had lied during a meeting. Rather than correcting the falsehood, the politician dismissed it, saying, “It’s all politics, Sir.” This incident, Obasanjo said, highlighted the broader problem of corruption and dishonesty being normalized in Nigerian politics.
“The first thing that shocked me when I entered politics was the level of corruption among election officials, which was considered normal,” he said. “The second was the extent of general and criminal misbehavior, which was treated with levity and impunity.”
Obasanjo lamented that many political wrongdoings are excused as simply “politics,” leading to a system that lacks morality, principles, and integrity. He stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to embrace transformational leadership focused on truth, honesty, and integrity, rather than transactional leadership that prioritizes personal gain over the common good.
The Denis Slattery Memorial Lecture, held at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, was organized by the Old Boys’ Association of St. Finbarr’s College. Denis Slattery, an Irish missionary who founded St. Finbarr’s College in 1956, was also a founding member of the Nigerian Football Association and the Nigerian Union of Journalists. He was honored with the Order of the Niger by Obasanjo in 2001 and passed away in July 2003.
