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.