Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has asked Nigerians not to give up, adding that the challenges facing the country have solutions.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Monday during an event in Abuja.
He said that Nigeria’s problems are surmountable, but the solutions require the coming together of like minds especially the best hands because the nation’s generational challenges have solutions.
“Our generational challenges have the generational solutions, let’s just face the issues and solve them, whether we are in government or planning to get into government.
“We mustn’t give up and we mustn’t keep looking back. The challenges of today are meant for those of us who are here and alive today. And they are meant to be solved by young people, and as I always say, there is no better time to be alive. This is the best time in Nigeria to be young. Those who are young today have the best opportunity ever.”
According to him, “I think this country needs the best minds. If you look at the variety of talents that we have, we have everything that it takes for a great country but it is the coming together of like minds, coming together of people who agree on the same things, old or young.
“I don’t think we should divide ourselves along these lines because this country can be great but we need that coming together of the best minds whether male or female,” the VP added.
“For me, my central concern is how do we get the very best people to work in the interest of this country, how do we get the best people to project the image of the country?”
Prof. Osinbajo is of the opinion that we must continue to work at it, “We must continue to make the sacrifice that is required to be able to get our views across and we must continue to organise to do so. We can’t give up, we can’t say things are so difficult, it is so difficult to enter the space. If we keep at it, one day, we will get the right result, we will get the right mix.
“Every country deserves excellent leadership; it deserves the best it can get. But excellent leadership doesn’t come by accident. It doesn’t come by lack of effort; you just have to keep making the effort.”
Emphasizing the need for a level-playing field for all aspiring politicians, the Osinbajo said “I am very strongly of the view that everyone must be invited to the party. The important thing is that we have, as well as possible, a level playing field.
“The problem also with liberal politics is money. Who has the resources? Because resources will to a large extent determine who can play the game. So, there are barriers.
“I think what is important is to see how we can remove those barriers as much as possible so there is a level playing field. What I have experienced serving in the position as Vice President in the past few years and having the opportunity to bring on board young people, some elderly people in relative terms is that the quality of the contributions is not necessarily defined by age.”
He clarified the impression that a level playing field should be defined by age. He noted that the focus should be on the mind and a little more on what people bring to the table. “I don’t engage on the basis of age.”
