out about the state of the nation saying a massive revolution looms
unless there is a conscious effort to
improve the state of the nation.
Obasanjo made this assertion while speaking at the West African
regional conference on youth employment in Dakar, Senegal.
The former Owu-born warlord lamented that the unemployment situation
had given birth to categories of youth involved in social crimes whom
he labelled as "area boys, Yahoo boys and, recently, Blackberry boys."
He said the danger posed by an army of unemployed youth in Nigeria can
only be imagined adding that the country may witness a revolution soon
unless the government takes
urgent steps to check growing youth unemployment and poverty.
He said "I'm afraid, and you know I am a General. When a General says
he is afraid, that means the danger ahead is real and potent."
"There is the absence of serious, concrete,realistic, short and long
term solution unemployment."
The former military Head of State referred to the doctorate degree
holders who applied for jobs as drivers at the Dangote Group, saying
"Nigerian youths have been patient enough and that this patience will
soon reach its elastic limit."
OBJ said youth unemployment rate which was 72 per cent in 1999 when he
took over power had been reduced to 52 per cent by 2004 but that the
rate rocketed to 71 per cent by 2011.
Obasanjo called for diversification of the economy saying attention
should be given to agriculture business as against the usual local
farming.
He stressed the need for easy access to land and. micro credit, while
advocating for a review of school curriculum to enable undergraduates
spend additional one year to learn
entrepreneurship.
The conference, sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) and the African Development Bank,was attended
by top bankers from across Africa including the Managing Director of
Nigeria's Bank of Industry, Ms. Evelyn Oputu.