…when it is reported that there is violence in Nigeria, it is probably an incident in one remote area of the country… VP Osinbanjo.
Editor/NationalDetective Magazine.com.ng. August, 28h , 2022.
By Charles Edet
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the Vice President, has cleared the air on the notion that whenever reports are made, it is erroneously construed that the entire country is enmeshed in violence.
Debunking this impression, the Bice President said it is unfitting to compare the realities of the Nigerian economy with those of other smaller African states.
Yemi Osinbajo equally noted that the reports on violence emanating from Nigeria does not reflect the reality of the entire country which, he said, is too vast in landmass.
The Vice President noted that the international community must understand Nigeria’s population, topology and geographic size to better grasp the enormity and complexity of her subtle challenges.
In a statement signed on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Vice President Osinbajo made the statement while fielding questions from a group of Harvard Business School students who visited him on Friday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The students, who were on excursion in Africa interacted with the VP on leadership, faith, spirituality, government policies in education, health, economy, and national image, among others.
The statement which is titled ‘Why I value transparency & social justice, by Osinbajo.’
The VP said, “First, there is a need to appreciate the size of the country, which is crucial to understanding what the issues are.
“For instance, Borno State is about the size of the whole of the United Kingdom plus Sweden or Denmark. So, when it is reported that there is violence in Nigeria, it is probably an incident in one remote area of the country, and many people in Abuja and Lagos may hear about it on social media, such is the size of this country.
“When they talk about the economy, we are often compared with smaller African countries, but there are 10 states in Nigeria that have bigger GDPs than those countries. It is a huge target market.”
In his response to the question about some misleading representation of Nigeria by some sections of the international community, the Vice President said “It is important to constantly engage the international community to show them how we feel about the stereotypes.
“It comes down to the work we do as government and people about the characterisation. This is why some of the work around the Ease of Doing Business etc. are all initiatives that have behind them, the whole idea that this environment is one that is welcoming to business and people can come and do business.”
On values, the Vice President noted that spirituality and commitment to such values as social justice and transparency are important, especially in situations where societal or governmental institutions are not strong enough to compel individual behaviour in a way that advances the common good.