The Former Nigeria External Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has said that he had no regret serving the military government as it afforded him the opportunity to serve Nigeria at the critical point in the country’s history.
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Akinyemi said this at the 2024 edition of the Diamond Award for Excellence, held recently at Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Lagos.
At the programme which was themed: ‘Emerging Challenges and Governance in Africa: Nigeria Perspective,’ he said that although he had been a critic of military rule, but when the military leaders needed people like him to run the affairs of the country, he was invited and he served meritoriously.
He said “I have no regret serving the military. Awolowo served the military and was at a time the deputy to General Gowon. Azikwe served as adviser to Ojukwu. Enahoro served as commissioner under the military government.”
On whether Nigeria has so much to celebrate its democracy at 25, Akinyemi said “We are not celebrating 25 years of democracy but civilian rule. That is because democratic and civilian rules are different.
“Democracy has to do with the provision of food, infrastructure, and security of lives, access to education, and other basic needs of life. We are not enjoying all these things and until we are enjoying basic livelihood, then we can talk of democracy in Nigeria.”
He stressed that effective governance in Africa can only be reality when leaders put the interest and livelihood of the people first in their agenda.
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