Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Africa’s poverty is a choice of African leaders.
Obasanjo, who spoke on Thursday at the launch of the Ethan and Harriet Map of Nigeria puzzles created by his daughter, Mrs Bunmi Williams.
He said the African continent has no business being poor and can change her fortunes with education.
“Poverty of Africa is a choice of African leaders. We don’t need to be poor. I believe we can make a different choice and if we do we will be what God has created us to be – a land flowing with milk and honey.
“God hasn’t created us to be poor. Ans the beginning of not being poor is education,” he said.
Obasanjo decried the low level of awareness of the Nigerian history and cultural heritage.
“Not knowing your history is like losing your memory. How can you be inspired when you don’t know your history; when you don’t know your sense of identity?” he asked.
“I came from the Mambila Plateau some weeks ago. And when people called me and I told them I was at the Mabila Plateau, they asked what country it was in. Mambila Plateau is in Taraba State.
“What Bunmi has done, which I am that it is appreciated by you is that this important gap should be filled very early in preparatory education; our own adult lack of knowledge can be filled by this puzzle,” he said.