Obasanjo to Youths: Don’t Allow Challenges to Deter Your Goals

James Sowole  in Abeokuta

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, admonished Nigerians, especially the youths, not to allow their challenges to hinder them from achieving their goals.

Obasanjo gave the admonition, in his remarks, as the chairman at the 25th Remembrance Anniversary of the late industrialist, Alhaji Abdulrazak Olajide Sanusi, who died in August 1997.

The former president  said  though Sanusi did not have the opportunity of attending school, he did more than some people that attended schools even up to university level.

At the event, which was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), and attended by notable Islamic clerics, children and some benefactors of the late philanthropist, featured presentation of bursary and prizes to some secondary school students, their teachers and principal on the platform of Abdul Razak Olajide Sanusi (ARO) Foundation.

Obasanjo, in his humorous manner, spoke in the English and the Yoruba languages interchangeably, asked the children of the deceased and Nigerian at large to emulate the legacies of the late industrialist.

According to him, if there was self-made man, my friend Abdulrazak, was self-made. If there was an industrialist, Abdul Razak was one. If there was a philanthropist, he was one. He was handicapped by education, but did not allow that to deter him from achieving his goal. He surmounted all challenges.

“The lesson to be learnt from the life and legacies of Abdulrazak is that, one, particularly youths, should know that no problem is unsurmountable  with determination. Sanusi surmounted all challenges that confronted him.”

Obasanjo said he was happy, because the legacies left by Sanusi did not die with him but living after him.

As part of activities to mark the day, 12 students of Alabata High School, comprising best female and best male in JSS1 to SSS2  students, were given books for their next classes and N25,000 each, while best Female and Male SSS3 students, were given N50,000 each.

Similarly, the principal of the school, the best male and female teachers, were each given a new HP Laptop.

Speaking during the prayers and tribute sessions, the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Saad Bamigbola, and other cleric and speakers, eulogised the life and legacies of the late philanthropist.