Chief Olusegun Obasanjo: what role in our National Development.

Olusegun Obasanjo, (born March 5, 1937, Abeokuta, Nigeria), Nigerian general, statesman, and diplomat, was the first military ruler in Africa to hand over power to a civilian government. He served as Nigeria’s military ruler (1976–79) and, as a civilian, as president (1999–2007).

Olusegun Obasanjo is the father of modern Nigeria due to his contribution to national development during his two-term tenure.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war in 1990, there emerged a changed notion of the concept of development which holds that people must be the centre of all development or national development in other words national development must be to ensure the advancement of human flourishing and expanding the richness of human life.
Looking at the role of Olusegun Obasanjo in Nigeria national development we could see that Obasanjo role has helped in acquiring human wellbeing and welfare which has inspired and informed solutions and policies across the world and in Nigeria.

Let us look at these contributions and understand properly how there have impacted lives and flourish human lives…

The Obasanjo administration initiated and executed projects that positively impacted the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of status.
His administration launched Nigeria on the path of political, social and economic growth. A few of the achievements recorded during his tenure include:

anti-corruption campaign/recovery of loots from national treasury from past and serving government functionaries;
the renegotiation and eventual settlement of Nigerian debts;
consolidation of the banking industry;
the institutionalisation of transparency in the financial sector;
the opening up of the telecommunication industry;
Liberalisation of the education sector and the opening up of space for private sector participation and investment in tertiary education.
Significant improvements were also recorded in the following areas:

The space technology programme – the launch of two satellites, SAT 3 and NICOMSAT
The energy programme and nuclear programmes
Education sector
ICT programme
Biotechnology programmes
Agriculture programme
Poverty Eradication Programme
Niger Delta Development Commission
Universal Basic Education and the general improvement of infrastructure amongst others

GSM communication network: telephone services were a thing for the rich in society. I remember NOT NINE NOT (090) in those days and it cost #350,000 naira when the exchange rate of dollar to naira was under #20 to $1. It cost #50,000 monthly to maintain it. This is a time when neighbouring countries like Benin and Togo were already using GSM. Prior to 1998, one cannot even remember how we were living without phones, it was a nightmare and the fact we can even be chatting over the internet like this, networking to even put this retreat together is the direct result of Obasanjo policy thank you, sir.

Obasanjo backs agric-driven economic development
as an attempt to revamp the nation’s economy through the non-oil sector, particularly agriculture, which he said would redirect the economy of Nigeria.
He also said that it had become clear that agriculture was the only sustainable business in the country capable of withstanding any season.
This we all can testify to and am also a beneficiary to most of this agricultural plan

Emmanuel Ajao
Farm manager lightline55farm