Follow @9jaLife Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has said that the mistakes of the past are still haunting Nigeria, noting that the country is now under pressure and needs rescue efforts. "Some of the mistakes of the past have now come to haunt us. But let me make one thing clear. Not all these mistakes were made out of callousness or bad faith or malice. "Most people in office do their best. They act to the best of their ability. Unless we think that our leaders have divine ability, we have to admit that even with all the best of their abilities and even with the best faith and with the best of all intentions, human beings will still make mistakes," he said. Babangida, who stated this yesterday in Lagos during the presentation of two books in honour of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, said that other countries that Nigerians are looking up to have passed through similar mistakes and challenges before. He added that if other countries could surmount their challenges, definitely Nigeria will also do. "As other countries have overcome the mistakes in their history and moved on, so we Nigerians also have cause to rejoice that even though in our history we have met with obstacles, we have experienced ups and downs, each generation had sought to the best of its ability to tackle these obstacles. That we are still a united nation is sufficient cause for congratulation," he noted The former military ruler noted that Nigeria is faced with so much pressure across the land. His words: "From the creeks in the Niger Delta to the sahelian areas of the North, the country is under pressure. Now is the time for us to regard the rescue efforts as a joint enterprise to secure maximum benefits for all and not an enterprise to secure temporary advantage for one group over another. "We need to arrive at a grand consensus that will move this nation forward rather than a panel-beaten system that satisfies no one except the temporary holders of power." He charged Nigerians to come together and make the 'Project Nigeria' a success, despite all the travails [...]
