Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has proposed an increased number of new tribe of Nigerians that would be committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard work, justice and love of country.
Osinbajo spoke at the 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquim, held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, to mark the 69th birthday of former Governor of Lagos State and leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Bola Tinubu.
The vice president, whose speech was delivered virtually from the State House, Abuja, said the new tribe would be made up of men and women who are prepared to make sacrifices for the building of a strong nation.
“We believe that we now have an opportunity to increase the numbers of a new tribe of Nigerians; a tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes and ethnicities committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard work, justice, and love of country.
“A tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and self-constraints that are crucial to building a strong society; who are prepared to stick together, fight for equity, and justice side by side; a tribe consisting of professionals, businessmen, politicians, religious leaders, and all others who believe that this new Nigeria is possible and already we have built and are building the building blocks for this new Nigeria.”
Paying tribute to Tinubu, Vice President Osinbajo said that many Nigerians who occupy various positions as ministers, local government functionaries, social agitators and top career journalists can trace their careers and political trajectories to Tinubu’s leadership.
He attributed this Tinubu’s leadership style, which he described as an unusual one especially in developing democracies.
“Central to that style is the following; first a belief that development, economic, social, political development depends on enabling a contest of ideas; whether that is within a political party or its caucuses, a cabinet meeting or even just thinking through a problem.
“By exposing his thoughts and ideas constantly to debate and contestation, he refines his views constantly and is at the cutting edge of issues as varied as artificial intelligence, vaccines, to even what sort of legal processes or arguments should be filed in a matter in court!
“I remember once when he was suggesting to me that he thought it was better that we should contest jurisdiction in a particular case and so many other times when he had introduced his own legal thoughts to a matter.
“I have had to keep reminding him that he is not a lawyer! And I am sure others have had to remind him several times that he is not many different things.
“Second, and perhaps more importantly, because he is not afraid of having his ideas scrutinized, criticized by even subordinates, he is able to lead a vast array of persons of strong, deeply held convictions, and a variety of ideologies.
“The third in that leadership style is that he is completely comfortable engaging across ethnic, religious, and partisan divides.
“It is his belief that national development is only possible where we, the leaders are constantly interrogating ideas, perspectives and opinions which are what led some of us who worked with him through the years, to formalize our constant debates so that on his birthday we open up discussions on some issues or issues of national importance.”
He said the Bola Tinubu Colloquium started in 2009 with a theme that addressed the question of election integrity, titled: “Every Vote Must Count.”
Osinbajo stated that since the inaugural colloquium, various subjects have been discussed each year, ranging from national unity, party politics, agriculture, employment and development of infrastructure.
“Regrettably, 2020 was meant to be a showcase of innovative ideas in education but was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are here today to engage at another of those crucial points in our national journey.
“At a time when a combination of challenges worsened by the fallouts of a global pandemic has created a storm of socio-economic problems, the default mode of some at times like this is to stoke tendencies viewpoints and opinions that threaten the federation and our unity.”
In his speech, Tinubu called for the implementation of a stimulus package that would leverage the Nigerian economy, saying that it is not the time for austerity.
“This is not the time to constrain the economy; this is the time to create the opportunity.
“If you hear America spending $1.9trillion, and they are not looking back but are asking for 3trillion for infrastructure, for renewal and for creating jobs and your own unemployment rate is 33%, and you keep on asking us to fast, we are fasting no more.
“I hope the president himself will not pay attention to austerity.”
Tinubu asked the federal government to recruit 50million youths into the army, saying it would not only boost security in the country but also increase skills acquisition and agricultural production.
Earlier, Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, said that theme of the 2021 Bola Tinubu Colloqium: “Our Bond; Our Commonwealth: the imperative of national cohesion for growth,” speaks to all Nigerians, challenging them to work and ensure national integration.
Participants at the the panel discussion at the event, which was moderated by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, were Mohammed Yahaya, Country Representative of the UNDP in Nigeria; Prof. Funmi Olonisakin of the King’s College, University of London; Amaka Anku, Practice Head, Africa, EuroAsian Group, among others.
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