Obasanjo Addresses Corruption at Book Launch in Lagos

Olusegun Obasanjo spoke in Lagos at the public presentation of “Unexplained Wealth in Nigeria: Law, Prosecution and the Recovery of Illicit Assets,” authored by Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN. As the chair of the event, he discussed his personal experiences in combating corruption and the establishment of anti-corruption institutions in Nigeria.

Obasanjo stated that corruption is fundamentally incompatible with development, noting that it disproportionately affects the poor. He traced his anti-corruption involvement back to his military years, where he served as a military prosecutor.

His commitment intensified after he became a farmer and collaborated with Peter Eigen, a former World Bank official, to establish Transparency International. He adapted its model anti-corruption law into Nigerian law, leading to the creation of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after overcoming legislative resistance.

He later established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to further combat corruption.