Former President Olusegun Obasanjo broke down in tears on Sunday as he decried the deepening hardship and hunger ravaging Nigeria, saying the crisis has gone beyond financial poverty and now strikes at the very core of human dignity and survival.
In an emotional address, the elder statesman recounted simpler times in his youth when meals, though modest, were never absent. “When I was growing up — we had garri in the morning, garri in the afternoon, and maybe pounded yam at night,” he said. “But today, most Nigerians can barely afford one meal a day. As I speak, some people don't even know if they will eat tomorrow.”
Choking with emotion, Obasanjo pleaded with Nigeria’s leaders to act with urgency, warning against the consequences of growing inequality and widespread hunger. “This is unfair. Don't set Nigeria on fire,” he said. “We need better leaders. Leaders who live by the African principle of — ‘I am, because we are.’”
He paused, then added quietly, “Forgive me, this is the first time I'm shedding my own tears.”
His remarks have stirred fresh conversations across the country about economic hardship, food insecurity, and the moral duty of leadership in Africa’s most populous nation.
Social media has since erupted with reactions under hashtags like #Afrocania and #NigerianEconomy, with many echoing the former president's call for urgent reform and compassionate governance.
