Obasanjo: My Jail Experience Under Abacha was Price of Standing on Principle

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says his imprisonment under Sani Abacha, the late military head of state, illustrates the price that can accompany principled leadership.

Obasanjo spoke at an international colloquium titled ‘Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World’ held in Abeokuta, Ogun state, as part of activities marking his 89th birthday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Kehinde Akinyemi, his special assistant on media, Obasanjo described leadership as both a “heavy burden” and a “profound blessing”, drawing from decades of military command, imprisonment, and democratic governance.

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

Recalling his role as commander of the third marine commando division during the Nigerian civil war, Obasanjo said leadership often requires difficult decisions whose consequences affect millions of people.

He said that in the final days of the war in 1970, he chose restraint to prevent further civilian casualties, describing the decision as an example of 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.

“My imprisonment was evidence of the price that can accompany principled positions,” he said.

He described leadership as a rare privilege, noting that the opportunity to serve during defining historical moments remains one of its greatest rewards.

Obasanjo cited the 1979 handover to Shehu Shagari, which marked Nigeria’s first peaceful transfer of power from military to civilian rule, as one of the most fulfilling decisions of his career.

On Africa’s development trajectory, Obasanjo said the continent’s enduring challenges stem largely from governance failures.

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

The former president called for deeper investment in leadership development, institutional strengthening, and democratic accountability across the continent.

Obasanjo also urged African governments to engage the global African diaspora more effectively, describing it as an underutilised asset capable of accelerating continental renewal.

He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a transformative initiative capable of expanding markets, attracting investment and improving Africa’s global competitiveness if fully implemented.

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