Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed the major reasons why he was forced to write ‘Tortoise stories’
According to the ex-general, the loss of values in the society and high rate of criminality and delinquencies amongst the youth forced him to write the book.
Obasanjo who spoke in Abeokuta at 2017 International Youth Variety Day and Public Presentation of volume one of Olusegun Obasanjo’s Books for Children said it was sad that the youths of nowadays lack morals and values.
The former President who went down memory lane to recall his Yola prison experience during the period of his incarceration during the late Gen. Sanni Abacha-led military regime, said his interaction with the young inmates revealed that some of them were suffering from high level of loss of values which he said was responsible high rate of criminality and delinquencies. The event was part of activities of the Grand Opening of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) and 80th birthday of Obasanjo.
The former President accused the religious institutions, parents, teachers and community leaders of not living up to the expectations which he said has put the country in its present situation.
He said, “One area of our lives where we have to do a lot of work is in the area of values. “When I was growing up, if people don’t know your source of sudden wealth, such a person was isolated and ostracised.
“If your father went out at nights, it was likely that your father was a thief. And we other children were asked to keep away from children of such character. “How do we bring back these values? When I was in prison in Yola, I interviewed some young men in that prison, I was shocked with what I found out . Given the level of criminality and delinquencies in the society, you have to blame the teachers, schools, churches, mosques, community leaders among others.
“But where do we begin to make correction? One of the ways are the story books I have written. I started writing the ‘Tortoise stories’ while I was in Yola Prison. Now the Volume 1 is being presented today”.