Former United States of America’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Mr Andrew Young, has identified corruption, laziness and selfishness as factors responsible for holding down the potential of Nigeria to attain greatness.
“The slavery of Nigeria is corruption, laziness, selfishness and refusal to realise that she is a nation destined to be great.”
Andrew Young, who spoke today, Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun of Nigeria, at a symposium organised as part of the activities to celebrate the 80th birth anniversary of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, however, expressed the belief that Nigeria can be liberated from all the things it had become slave unto.
The subject of the symposium, organised by the Centre for Human Security, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Library, is: “Purposes and Utilitarian Values of Presidential Libraries.”
Young said that Nigeria had produced great minds who had done great things and are respected all over the world.
“I have seen Nigerians abroad.
“They are brilliant, intelligent and hardworking and respectable.”
The former US diplomat likened Nigeria’s destiny to the Biblical Israelites whose ancestors served under slavery for several years in spite of being destined by God to be great.
The ambassador described the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), to be inaugurated tomorrow, Saturday as one of the platforms that would launch Nigeria into enviable heights among nations of the world.
“I see the library as something that will not only teach young Nigerians about their rich heritage, but will also point them to the great future of the nation.
“I see the nation, Nigeria, rising and occupying a significant position like China, US and other great nations of the world.”
This was even as the former Permanent Delegate of Kenya to UNESCO, Ambassador Mary Khimulu, described the library as “a new African record.”
Khimula, who pledged to be an ambassador of the library, called for more of such projects in Africa.
The former Secretary-General, All-Africa Association of Students’ Union, Mr Fred Awaah, described the library as a pride of the African continent.
He expressed joy that the work had served as a catalyst and engendered a re-awakening among African leaders. He added that two other similar projects were ongoing in the continent.
“Such libraries would afford us the opportunity to tell the world our stories from our own perspective rather than have it misinterpreted by other people.”
Awaah stressed the importance of presidential libraries and called on African governments to put necessary laws in place to prioritise the establishment of such libraries for an exiting presidents.
“The US which realises the importance has the Presidential Library Act of 1955 as well as the Public Records Act of 1978.”
In his remarks, former President Obasanjo, described the library as an opportunity given to him by God to correct his past mistakes of not documenting some materials.
He expressed optimism that the library would stimulate tourism in and promote the image of Nigeria globally. [myad]
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