‘Debt Worse Than Leprosy’: Obasanjo tackles Tinubu
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Vanguard News
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Fri, 30 Oct 2026, 20:14
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Obasanjo also warned Nigeria and other African countries against allowing foreign interests to dominate artificial intelligence, AI, saying the emerging technology could become another instrument of exploitation and digital colonialism if the continent failed to develop its own technological capacity. Obasanjo also questioned Nigeria’s economic performance over the years, particularly the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar.
Context & Background
✦Although he acknowledged that he was not technically knowledgeable about AI, he said ownership and control were critical to ensuring that the technology served African interests.
Key Figures & Named Entities
Friday:The former president spoke on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Ajibosin Platform, a public forum themed, “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Solve Grassroots Problems and Accelerate National Development”.dollar.:Obasanjo also questioned Nigeria’s economic performance over the years, particularly the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar.$1.85.:“When I started my farm, 47 years ago, naira to the dollar was one naira to $1.85.
Outlook & Next Steps
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Key Takeaways
Verified Extract
✦Obasanjo also warned Nigeria and other African countries against allowing foreign interests to dominate artificial intelligence, AI, saying the emerging technology could become another instrument of exploitation and digital colonialism if the continent failed to develop its own technological capacity.
✦Obasanjo also questioned Nigeria’s economic performance over the years, particularly the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar.
✦Although he acknowledged that he was not technically knowledgeable about AI, he said ownership and control were critical to ensuring that the technology served African interests.
Key Facts:Friday: The former president spoke on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Ajibosin Platform, a public forum themed, “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Solve Grassroots Problems and Accelerate National Development”.dollar.: Obasanjo also questioned Nigeria’s economic performance over the years, particularly the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar.$1.85.: “When I started my farm, 47 years ago, naira to the dollar was one naira to $1.85.2023: While acknowledging the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as an important step towards protecting citizens’ information, he said privacy protection alone was insufficient to guarantee data sovereignty.
Editorial Excerpt
By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s defence of government borrowing, declaring that debt is worse than leprosy because of its devastating consequences for present and future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Story
What is the latest development regarding All Progressives Congress?
Obasanjo also warned Nigeria and other African countries against allowing foreign interests to dominate artificial intelligence, AI, saying the emerging technology could become another instrument of exploitation and digital colonialism if the continent failed to develop its own technological capacity.
Who are the key organizations or public figures mentioned?
The primary parties identified in this coverage include All Progressives Congress, Plateau State, Abeokuta.
What timeline or key figures were confirmed?
The former president spoke on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Ajibosin Platform, a public forum themed, “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Solve Grassroots Problems and Accelerate National Development”.
