11th April 2022 will be etched in history as the day Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, PYO to
those who know him well and to those who profess to know him well (the writer is neither,
so is sticking to his official title), finally ended the uncertainties, rumours, innuendos and
indefiniteness by formally declaring his candidacy for the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria. Will history be kind to his candidacy? Time, as they say, will be the judge!
When Shirley Chisholm, first black woman to make a bid for the Presidency of the United
States, announced her candidacy, she said “I want to be remembered as a catalyst for
change in America”. With “change” having been the rallying cry of President Buhari’s
regime under which the Vice President would have served for 8 years when the second
term ends, will the Vice President still be the man of “change” to lead Nigeria to that better
and glorious future all well-meaning Nigerians pray and hope for?
Winston Churchill, arguably Britain’s greatest war leader, once said “To improve is to
change”. Most Nigerians, even those not disposed to Osinbajo, will likely agree he will, if
elected, be an improvement on civic engagement in Nigeria even if only in relation to his
verbal communication skills. It is though not the role nor the intention of this writer to
extol or wax lyrical on the many virtues and accomplishments of the Vice President. More
erudite and persuasive writers have done this already, with more no doubt to come in the
nearest future. It is also not the role nor the aim of this writer to disparage or cast
aspersions on the presidency of President Muhammad Buhari. President Buhari was the
leader Nigeria needed after 16 years of PDP misrule. Whether or not, he achieved all
Nigerians hoped for is a matter of contentious debate. His supporters will argue he did all
he could within the constraints of what was available, pointing to increased and massive
spending on infrastructure from railways to roads, while naysayers will point to
deterioration in standard of living and, rampant or sporadic acts of banditry and terrorism
that appear to go unpunished. History will render its judgment in due course.
What stands out and will no doubt draw a lot of Nigerians to the Vice President is that his
integrity is unquestioned and unimpeachable. This is a man who can hold his head high
and declare to the world, I have no skeletons nor hidden agenda. No fear of sordid tales
of hidden wealth, corrupt riches, illegal funds or unexplained sources of income to titillate
the olfactory senses. Of how many Nigerians in a position of governance can this be truly
said?. I posit that I will not run out of fingers for counting before concluding the list.
With the Vice President’s integrity intact, what else do Nigerians require and desire in a
man to lead Nigeria at this important and auspicious junction in its history; a country in
turmoil and darkness (and not just from the collapse of electricity infrastructure), with
citizens scrapping and scraping to feed their families in unsecured environments even as
the elite and the chattering classes build their grandiose houses with 24hrs power supply
in secure environments to keep the barbarians (i.e. the masses) out.
What unites the rich, poor, strong, weak, Christians and Muslims and anyone else who lies
in between or has fallen through the gaps is “whither thou goest” Nigeria?
In this 21st century, should Nigeria take a left turn and follow the same geriatric politicians
(with varying and dizzying ages often defying mathematical addition and subtraction skills)
that have held the country in their vice like grip for decades, knowing it will be more of
the same – underdeveloped and full of untapped potential? Alternatively, should Nigeria
turn right and choose a non-politician, a man who most Nigerians barely knew 8 years
ago, but whom with the evidence we have seen, appear to be what Nigeria desperately
requires and, is willing to decry and deny the negative forces that once again seek to hold
Nigeria back? Put simply, if less adroitly, do we follow one of the brightest and most
intellectual of Nigerians who is relatable, understands what is needed and whose ambition
is to serve his people or do we follow the same self-serving old and infirm politicians we
would not trust with our wallet but want us to trust them with the country’s purse strings?
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by
results not attributes.” Undeniably, the Vice President makes great speeches, befitting of
one of Nigeria’s brightest and best legal minds and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. His
record, when he managed the Social Investment program from N-Power to TraderMoni
have left an indelible mark on the country. He is also well liked across the country as
evident by record crowds that greet him wherever he goes, seeking to touch him and be
seen with him as if to bestow some of his greatness on them. Does the Vice President
though have the results to show he will be an effective leader for Nigeria?
I must express my gratitude to the group “Identify the Right Leader” for dealing
extensively with the achievements of the Vice President in their report titled “Osinbajo –
An Impact Assessment Report”. I would commend all Nigerians to read the report with its
impactful insights on his achievements (N-Power, TraderMoni, Homegrown School Feeding
Programme to name just a few). The report says better what the writer could only have
hoped to say here. Are these achievements sufficient to commend that the Vice President
will be an effective leader for Nigeria?
The answer to the question and to all doubtful questions as to his leadership qualities is
unquestionably “YES HE WILL BE”.
According to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “Those of us placed in a position of leadership must
be prepared to grasp the nettle if we unite in doing so, and if, in addition, we set a worthy
example and a marat on pace in probity, unselfishness, and self-sacrifice, the people will
follow, all too readily, in our footsteps.”
Even his opponents, of which no doubt, there are many will accept the Vice President has
certainly grasped the nettle of leadership, not only through his position as Vice President
for nearly seven years, but also in seeking to replace Buhari. He has not sought to assume
to the office of President by claiming to be entitled to be coronated, having served as Vice
President nor has he declared it to be his God given right or ambition. Instead, as all great
leaders are wont to, he has instead put himself forward as demanded by his people. The
petition of the Concerned Citizens of Nigeria, being one of such demands. A leader, they
say, must respond to the clarion call of his people to lead them, not because he wants to
but because he has no choice but to obey the call of his people. As to probity, even his
detractors do not deny the Vice President is a man of unimpeachable integrity. “Any nation
that does not emphasise integrity will always fail.” – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Is the Vice President unselfish though and willing to sacrifice his good for the betterment
of others? Before addressing these questions, we are reminded of the words of Tafa
Balewa, first Prime Minister of Nigeria. “I am convinced, and I want you also to be
convinced, that the future of this vast country must depend, in the main, on the efforts of
ourselves to help ourselves. This we cannot do if we do not work together in unity.”
To understand a man is to know what he holds dear. The Vice President is known as a
man of strong faith, disciplined and willing to live according to the tenets of his faith. When
he chooses to admonish and stand against some of his faith, we must listen and behold.
To know whether the Vice President is unselfish and willing to sacrifice, we must look to
what he says and does in private and, if that is not available, look to what he says to his
friends, to those who know him well. In the Vice President’s words:
“If the church says we will not accept you here or that we will expose you if you are
stealing the resources of the country or stealing the resources of a private company or
other establishment, where you work, then we would not have the type of problem that
we have in this country. If only the church does so – just the church.”
“The carnal nature of man is that he places his tribe above others, but the only basis for
the power and unity of the church is that there is no Jew or Gentile.”
These are the words of a man who sees power as seeking to do good for all and not just
for his friends or members of his tribe. If a man is willing to call out his friends, even if
not convenient or politically the right thing to do, surely this is a man to be trusted with
the country’s purse strings, a man who will “set a worthy example and a marat on pace in
probity, unselfishness, and self-sacrifice” for the people to follow.
As we reflect on the various candidacies that have been announced and those to come,
we must ask ourselves – who do we consider to be the best candidate to take Nigeria
forward, not because he is a member of our tribe or our friend or of our faith? With PYO
(at this stage the writer now professes to know him well) as President in 2023, will Nigeria
be better in 2027 than it is now? Even if the Lord or Allah has since called you to sit by his
side, will PYO as President bequeath a better Nigeria to your children and loved ones than
it is now? Will PYO be a break from the past history of failures?
If your answers to at least 2 of these 3 questions is a resounding “YES”, get out and
campaign, vote, educate, contribute and do everything within your power to ensure he is
chosen as the candidate for APC and, subsequently, voted in as President. Your country
will be grateful to you. Your family will laud you. Generations of Nigerians to come will
applaud you. Africa will thank you.
On my part, after much consideration, deliberation and prayers, I commend to you PYO,
a man able to join the pantheon of great leaders, to stand on the shoulders of Awolowo,
Azikiwe and Balewa and other great leaders of Nigeria to lead Nigeria, his people, to the
promised land of development, infrastructure, security and prosperity for all. He is the
leader Nigerian needs in 2023. He is indeed the “chosen” one. HE IS THE ONE!!
In the words of the Vice President himself, “Great economies and great nations, prosperity,
and abundance of nations and communities are created by men and not spirits.”
Dele Obilade
