Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that corrupt politicians are incapable of providing good governance, calling for accountability at all levels of government.
He made this remark during a virtual address at the Denis Joseph Slattery memorial lecture, held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event, organised by the Old Boys’ Association of St. Finbarr’s College, honoured the late Irish missionary who arrived in Nigeria in 1941. Slattery was remembered for his contributions to education and sports, including founding St. Finbarr’s College in 1956.
During his speech, Obasanjo, 87, criticised government officials with “questionable” integrity, arguing that they cannot make decisions for the public good. He asserted that corrupt politicians should be jailed for their misconduct, emphasising the importance of accountability in governance.
“If you look clinically at the people in government today, both at the executive and legislative levels, some of them should be permanently behind bars for their past misdemeanours and criminal misconduct,” Obasanjo said. He added, “You cannot expect thieves to give good judgement in favour of the owner of the property.”
The former president also shared his experiences with corruption, noting how criminal behaviour was often normalised in politics. He recounted his shock at the widespread corruption among election officials and the casual acceptance of dishonesty in political dealings.
“Every bad thing they do is passed on as politics, which means politics has no room for morality, principles, rectitude, ethics, or good character,” Obasanjo lamented.
He further stressed that Nigeria needs “transformational leaders” who embody integrity and honesty, rather than “transactional leaders” who prioritise self-interest. Obasanjo urged a shift towards truth, hope, and inclusion in governance.
The memorial lecture was attended by notable figures including former Cross River governor Donald Duke, ex-footballer Segun Odegbami, music producer ID Cabasa, and actor Patrick Doyle. The late Denis Slattery was also remembered for his pioneering roles as chairman of the Nigerian Football Association and a founding member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). Slattery, who was honoured with the Order of the Niger (OON) by Obasanjo in 2001, passed away in July 2003.
