Traditional Rulers should condemn corruption in the strongest terms – VP Osinbajo
Traditional rulers in the country should raise a strong voice of condemnation against those who have stolen public funds and engaged in corruption capable of crippling the country, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said.
Meeting with a group of traditional rulers and leaders from Remo-Land, Ogun State, the Vice President said “as leaders we must condemn corruption in the strongest terms”.
According to him, “I think it’s right that we condemn corruption in strong terms, more so that traditional rulers do not belong to any political party. The kind of corruption we experienced in the recent past is the kind that in any other part of the world it would be considered as a crime against humanity.”
He noted that the kind of corruption that has been observed in the country is one for which people should be ashamed.
While the nation is fighting a war, he lamented, some people were stealing the money, the resources meant to provide the weapons. “What the leaders did in the past few years is very shameful,” Prof. Osinbajo emphasized.
Continuing, he said “corruption is such a terrible thing and I don’t think it is a matter of politics. I think it’s one thing everybody should be ashamed of, if you consider what the leaders of this country had done.” He added that such corruption can completely cripple the nation.
Vice President Osinbajo told the delegation led by Akarigbo of Remo-Land , Oba (Dr) Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, that the Buhari administration is fully committed to the anti-corruption crusade and “going forward, the determination of this government is to ensure that people know that corruption has consequences.”
According to the Vice President, “we will not only hold those who have served to account, but also hold ourselves to account.” He said this is how to avoid the Hobbesian state of nature where life is “poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
Stating that the anti-corruption fight is hinged on transparency, he explained that “we are trying to put in place a system that ensures that there is consequence if you do wrong. So that the people you serve, very poor are not treated like animals”.
He further stated that “I think that one of the major problems that we have faced is just that the level of corruption is high. The fact is that when you look at what has happened, the truth is stranger than fiction. When you look at the facts and figures, it doesn’t make sense.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Michael Sonariwo commended the government of President MuhammaduBuhari for its anti-corruption policies.
Also, the Vice President met a delegation from the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics (NAEE) today in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said experts in the energy, oil and gas sectors should contribute their expertise in the sector if the sector would overcome all its challenges.
Prof. Osinbajo expressed that it is strategic for professionals as well as members of the Energy Economics to always join in the energy debate and render their expert advice to government, adding that President Buhari’s administration is transparent and open and this would also make government to be accountable.
Earlier, leader of the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, Prof. Wumi Iledare, who is also a Professor of Petroleum Economics at the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt, said he was in the State House to invite the Vice President as Special Guest to the 9th NAEE/IAEE International Conference, “Energizing Emerging Economics: The Role of Natural Gas and Renewable Energy” coming up in April.
LAOLU AKANDE
Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) in
The Office of the Vice President
