Weighing in on country’s recent elections, which he called a “sickening and painful show of shame,” former president Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a clarion call to all committed patriots to save the country from sliding into dystopia.

According to the former leader, he could not sit in silence and watch the nation’s leaders drive Nigeria to dysfunctional state.

“I am now too old to keep quiet and watch Nigeria’s seemingly clueless launch into dystopia,” lamented Mr Obasanjo at the presentation of a book written by top bureaucrat, Tunji Olaopa. The event took place in Abuja on Thursday.

“All efforts are now required from all committed patriots to rescue the nation from the precipice. And when I look at the audience I have a feeling that among the people who can do it and who must do it are some of you here.” 

He explained that the conduct of the last elections revealed the country was even far more divided than imagined and urged the incoming government to urgently look into solutions to appease the youths and bring about national harmony. 

“Given what we saw during the election, Nigeria is now even more divided and more corroded than we thought. This places a deep onus on any administration following the current one, to urgently facilitate the process of national moral rearmament and national reconciliation for the aggrieved and will lead us across Nigeria and to assuage the youth,” advised Mr Obasanjo.

“All of these and more are necessary to correct and not to repeat the sickening and painful show of shame which the elections of 2023 generated into.”

The former president believes it is his duty to keep writing letters that would steer the nation in the right direction that would benefit all citizens.

“It has become my own personal obligation, continuing in my relentless service as a letterman, dedicated in my twilight years to say the truth, as I see it, so as to push Nigeria in the direction of our collective aspirations. What is our collective aspiration? A better society where all Nigerians can become what the Almighty God destined [them] to be.”