Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that genuine leadership always comes with a price.
He made the remark while delivering a keynote address at an international colloquium titled “Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World,” organised to mark his 89th birthday.
Obasanjo described leadership as both a demanding responsibility and a rare privilege. Reflecting on his imprisonment under the late military ruler, Sani Abacha, he said the experience remains a clear example of the sacrifices that often accompany principled leadership.
The elder statesman, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979 and later as civilian President from 1999 to 2007, noted that many who seek power fail to grasp the personal cost attached to it.
“My imprisonment demonstrates the price of standing on principle. Leadership without principle is simply administration. Real leadership requires saying no when yes would be easier, and that decision often comes at a cost,” he stated.
Drawing from his time as Commander of the Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War, Obasanjo explained that leadership frequently demands solitary decisions with far-reaching consequences.
“There is a loneliness that comes with making the final decision. After all consultations and debates, the responsibility rests on you alone. That burden cannot be shared,” he said.
He recounted that in the closing days of the civil war in January 1970, he chose a path of restraint to avoid further civilian casualties.
“No manual guided that choice. It was mine to make,” he noted, stressing the moral weight leaders must bear.
According to him, leadership carries both sacrifice and reward.
“The heaviest burden a person can bear is carrying their nation on their shoulders. Yet the greatest blessing is earning that nation’s gratitude. At 89, I have come to see that the burden and the blessing are often intertwined,” he added.
Despite enduring significant trials, including three and a half years in prison, Obasanjo affirmed that he would still embrace a life of service.
“There is a blessing in being given the chance to make a difference and to serve at a pivotal moment in history,” he concluded.
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