Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said his imprisonment by the late Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha, was evidence of the price that one can pay for maintaining a principled position.

He likened leadership to a heavy burden and a profound blessing, drawing from decades of military command, imprisonment, and democratic governance.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, said the former President stated this in his keynote address at an international colloquium titled: “Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World” as part of activities marking his 89th birthday ceremony in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The elder statesman reflected on pivotal moments that shaped his understanding of power, responsibility, and service.

Recalling his role as the Commander of the Third Marine Commando Division of the Nigerian Army during the Civil War, Obasanjo said leadership often demands solitary decisions with consequences that affect millions.

The ex-President recalled that in the final days of the civil war in 1970, he chose restraint to prevent further civilian casualties.The decision, he said, underscored the moral weight leaders must carry.

Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and later as civilian President from 1999 to 2007, said the public frequently underestimates the personal cost of leadership.

The ex-President described leadership as a rare privilege—the opportunity to serve at defining historical moments—citing Nigeria’s first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule in 1979, when he handed over to President Shehu Shagari, as one of the most fulfilling decisions of his career.

He argued that Africa’s enduring challenges “stem less from geography or history and more from governance failures”.

Obasanjo said: “Africa remains richly endowed with natural and human resources but continues to suffer from weak institutions, corruption, and self-serving leadership.”

The ex-President called for deeper investment in leadership formation, institutional strengthening and democratic accountability, stressing that sustainable progress depends on systems that outlast individuals.

He also urged African governments to better engage the global African diaspora, describing this as an underutilised asset capable of accelerating continental renewal.

Highlighting continental integration efforts, Obasanjo alluded to the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) as a transformative initiative that could expand markets, attract investment and enhance the continent’s global competitiveness, if fully implemented.

He expressed his belief in Africa’s long-term promise and urged the next generation to embrace accountable, service-driven leadership.

“Africa is not a problem to be managed,” he said. “Africa is a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept.”

The 89th birthday ceremony is expected to be rounded off today with a distinguished lecture, titled: “The Global African Enlightenment from Chains to Renaissance,” to be delivered by the Haitian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Ambassador Jean Robert Pillard.

It will be followed by a reception for guests at the OOPL in Abeokuta. (The Nation)