The chief weakness is a human one – our elite, our political, economic, and religious elite.Īn elite that has so far proved to be socially irresponsible, i.e., one which either by selfishness, negligence or ignorance or a lack of self-awareness has so far been unable to build the institutions and more importantly, the social and political consensus upon which a just and orderly society can stand. The truth therefore it seems to me is that the external reasons we cite as reasons for our problems cannot thrive without severe internal weaknesses in our society. And if we were not strangers to each other then, we are most certainly not strangers to each other now. In any case, there is a lot of scholarship and research that shows that our ethnic nations share a long history of trade, diplomacy, migration, and conflict – all of which ensured that by the time the colonialists arrived, we were not strangers to each other. Colonial origins are therefore not necessarily a predictor of national prosperity or state failure. We have examples of many of such nation-states that are successful. After all, colonialism was a historical global phenomenon that spawned nation-states everywhere across the world from Europe and Africa to Asia, North America, and South America. Indeed, it is my view that the colonial beginnings of African nation-states do not constitute the sort of immutable obstacle to nation-building that it is made out to be. So, we argue that the problem of State fragility in Africa is on account of the colonial origins of her nation-states, the notion that Nigeria is a hastily and arbitrarily cobbled together patchwork of mutually alienated kingdoms and as a result, has remained plagued by fundamental challenges rooted in its founding is popular, but not the whole truth. In considering the theme of this event, it is worth noting that often when we explore the concepts of national and regional security, there is a tendency to anchor the discourse around the machinations and intrigues of externally-generated vulnerabilities, external adversaries. In the light of all these challenges, the theme of this Conference: “National and Regional Insecurity: The Role of Political and Non-Political Actors in Stabilisation and Consensus Building”, is clearly an inspired one. The insurgency in the Northeast, kidnappings and terrorist acts in the Northwest, and threats of secession in the Southeast and Southwest. We are meeting against the backdrop of economic adversity, inflamed fault lines, and social resentments. It is a privilege indeed to join you in honouring the memory of that great patriot and innovator Sam Nda Isaiah. Let me begin by saying how delighted I am to be here at this Conference and to commend the Board and Management of the Leadership Newspapers and their collaborators for putting together a forum for dialogue in the tradition established by the esteemed founder, our beloved departed brother, and colleague, Sam Nda-Isaiah. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE 2020 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AND AWARDS ON THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2021 It proposes that the advantage of education, position, or wealth, especially in a poor society, comes with the responsibility to think, develop and implement the big ideas that would create opportunities and livelihood for the majority.” – Osinbajo “The operative principle here is “Noblesse Oblige” which in English means “nobility obligates.” It conveys the idea that nobility extends beyond mere entitlement and requires people of noble status to fulfill social responsibilities. AS ELITES, LET US THINK, DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT IDEAS THAT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE – OSINBAJOĪdds: We should avoid drift towards darker impulses, but instead counter fear & division with inspiring faith, creative optimism, and solidarity.
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