politicsMonday, September 14, 20262 sources

Obasanjo Asserts Nigeria's Poverty Is Unjustified and Played Key Role in Ending South African Apartheid

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly claimed that Nigeria has no business being poor and that its actions were crucial in ending apartheid in South Africa. His statements were published by Vanguard News on September 14, 2026.

Obasanjo stated, 'Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don't have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don't have or the water that we don't have or the rain that we don't have?' This rhetoric framed Nigeria's poverty as an unjustified condition. Separately, he asserted that Nigeria's involvement was essential in the end of apartheid, claiming, 'Without Nigeria, South Africa would not have got rid of apartheid when it got rid of it.'

Sources

IndependentVanguard (Nigeria)Sep 14, 05:30 PM
‘Nigeria has no business with poverty’ — Obasanjo

“Give me one reason why Nigeria should be poor. Is it the land that we don't have or the desert that we are in or the people that we don't have or the water that we don't have or the rain that we don't have?” he said. The post ‘Nigeria has no business with poverty’ — Obasanjo appeared first on Vanguard News.

IndependentVanguard (Nigeria)Sep 14, 04:21 PM
Without Nigeria, apartheid wouldn’t have ended in South Africa — Obasanjo

“And for me—and I believe for Nigeria at that time and even now—we should be proud of what we did because without Nigeria, South Africa would not have got rid of apartheid when it got rid of it. That is true,” Obasanjo said. The post Without Nigeria, apartheid wouldn’t have ended in South Africa — Obasanjo appeared first on Vanguard News.