Obasanjo urges leaders to create legacies
The former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Wednesday called on Nigerian leaders to inculcate the culture of creating institutions to serve as legacies that could outlive them when they are no longer in office.
Obasanjo who gave the charge at a special lecture as part of activities to mark the 10th year anniversary of Radio Nigeria Progress FM 100.5, Ado-Ekiti, an occasion which he chaired, said institutions in whatever form, remain the only legacies that can outlive a leader and endear such a person to the people.
The former president who was represented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Vice-Chairman, South-west and former Governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni.
said the number of institutions created by any government is one of the benchmarks to measure its performance in a civilised world.
He recalled that his government multiplied the number of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and Radio Nigeria stations across the country because he was not oblivious of the role of the media in national unit.
'My government was able to multiply the number of Radio Nigeria and NTA stations to the extent that every state in Nigeria has at least, a station.
Obasanjo, who acknowledged the importance of communications in the society, described communication as key in the mobilisation of the citizens to do the right thing and support the government of the day.'
The former president was elated that the PDP-led government at the centre has been able to sustain the institutions he established under his government.
Also, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr Kola Ajumobi, lauded the station for being fair in its new reportage since inception in 2003.
He explained that following the belief of the present administration in the importance of information, on assumption of office, the government became the first to domesticate the Freedom of Information law.
According to the governor, the state has also given priority to the elderly in the state by the giving each of them a monthly stipend of N5,000.
Fayemi, however, complained that the people of the state often have a bad reception while listening to the Radio Nigeria network broadcast on daily basis
Earlier in his welcome address, the Zonal Director, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRSC), Ibadan National Station, Alhaji Bola Agboola, said the station has played immeasurable role in Nigeria's unity.
Agboola, who called on Nigerians to see the stations as part of their national heritage, also assured Nigerians that those FRCN would not relent in their efforts to satisfy their audience.