TOGETHER WE WILL MAKE IT: THANK YOU PROF. OSINBAJO

Abdulrazak Ilyasu Sansani

We are far stronger together. Our Weakness lie in our disunity. When we unite and work together with a clear vision. There is nothing that can stop us. Not the myriads of evil machinations and not any of them singly. We are simply unstoppable together. But we are just as vulnerable as those homeless young orphans roaming the streets without a definite destination. In fact, without knowing anywhere to go.

People will always do anything to divide us. Trust people whose only reason for not supporting someone is sheer hatred and not incompetence to always conjecture and do anything to make their lies seem to be true . Those type of people do not help anyone and there are the main reason we are where we are as a country. I have nothing against those who criticise any government constructively just as I do not have anything against those who do not support any government that they believe lack what it takes to deliver. But I have everything against anyone whose only reason for not supporting any government is because the head of that government does not profess the same faith with him or her or even because he or she does not come from the same place as them, or that leader does not share the same ethnicity with them or even merely because the leader has closed all linkages for them to loot public's funds. These kind of people are extremely dangerous to our polity, progress and development. These kind of people pose a grave threat to our country and any chance of its development. If we are really serious about development, we must take this people to their rightful place where they truly belong. And not give them any chance of ever deceiving anyone and exploiting the gullibility of our numerous gullible compatriots. Until, we are able to do so, we will continue to suffer untold hardship as a result of the actions of these people that are overtly against our development.

We must be bold and bold enough to say it to their faces when they come with their cruel, evil and archaic theories of doom. We must never give anyone the opportunity to put us against one another. For if actually, there is any benefit of us being against one another and perpetually fighting over nothing ad infinitum then, by now we must have built one of the greatest nations in the whole world. But why have we not made significant progress even after expending trillions of Naira over the years in the name of projects and other initiatives that take us closer to development?

The answers to these problems and others equally huge as these are not far- fetched. There are apparent and all we need to do is to be sincere and willing to work together to overcome common challenges and defeat anything that stands our way to development. We will definitely not do that as Yorubas, Igbos, Hausas, Fulanis, Tivs, Ijaws, Kanuris or whatever tribe but we can only do so as Nigerians united by common dreams and driven by shared dogmas.

You know how hypocritical some of our people are and divided we are. When someone that was dubbed as 'a mere commissioner' despite being a professor of Law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a senior Pastor in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the biggest churches in the country, with a remarkable number of followers and having contributed so many chapters to books in judicial system reforms in Nigeria notably: "some Public Law Considerations in Environmental Protection. Chapter in “Environmental Laws in Nigeria”, (J.A. Omotola ed.) 1990 pgs 128–149 Domestic and International Protection for Women: “Landmarks on the Journey so far” in Women and Children under Nigerian Law”. (Awa U. Kalu & Yemi Osinbajo eds.) 1990. pgs. 231–241 Some Problems of Proof of Bank Frauds and Other Financial Malpractices in Bank Frauds and Other Financial Malpractices in Nigeria (Awa Kalu ed.) FMJL Review Series, Modalities For The Implementation of The Transition Provisions in The New Constitution in Law Development and Administration (Yemi Osinbajo & Awa Kalu eds.) (1990). And having written and published or edited so many books which law students and legal luminaries find it useful in the course of their studies and legal practitce such as these: "Nigerian Media Law, GRAVITAS Publishers 1991 Cases and Materials on Nigerian Law of Evidence, Macmillan, 1996 Integration of the African Continent Through Law” (Edward Foakes Publishers, 1989, vol. 7, Federal Ministry of Justice Law Review Series) Towards A Better Administration of Justice System in Nigeria” (Edward Foakes Publishers, 1989) FMJL Review Series, “Women and Children Under Nigerian Law” FMJL Review Series, The Unification and Reform of the Nigerian Criminal Law and Procedure Codes – (Malthouse Press), 1990 Law Development and Administration (Malthouse Press), 1990 Narcotics: Law and Policy in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series 1990". He has published numerous articles in the Law journals namely:"Articles published in law journals, Legitimacy and Illegitimacy under Nigerian Law Nig. J. Contemp. Law. (1984–87) pgs. 30–45 Unraveling Evidence of Spouses in Nigeria, Legal Practitioners Review Vol. 1 No. 2 1987 pgs. 23–28 Can States Legislate on Rules of Evidence? Nigerian Current Law Review 1985 pgs. 234–242". Just to mention a few of the remarkable works and contributions of this great Nigerian to the judicial system reform in Nigeria and of course to the advancement of the legal practice in Nigeria. Then you know something is apparently wrong with those that said he was just 'a mere commissioner'. But when this 'mere commissioner' suddenly becomes 'a super acting president' who they eagerly now want to be President, even if we knew all along most of them never wanted or supported him. And the person who they say is 'clueless' was the one together with Asiwaju, who brought him and trusted him with the position of the Vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a position only second to the President. Even if some people blatantly disrespected him, and looked down upon him.

Well, you know these people are not sincere and do not actually wish him well but just want to see President Buhari down and perhaps they think the Professor will compromise and make it easier for them to loot public funds or relax a little in the looted funds recovering exercise. Thus, compromise in the war against corruption. But well, anyone with this kind of mindset should know that: this is just a wishful thinking which will never materialise should Prof. Osinbajo become the President in the future or even now, as only God can decide the destiny of anything or anybody on the face of the earth.

In case, you did not know Prof. Osinbajo was nominated by those who nominated him not only because they thought he could be the game changer in the political equation at that time, but because they believed and still believe in him to deliver should moments like this one comes. They trusted him and still trust him to be a competent Vice president and should any eventuality leads him to become the President, he would actually continue where his boss had stopped, and indeed even do more and not falter. So, continue to celebrate whatever you will want to celebrate but do not forget to give credit to President Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for having given us this refined gentleman as our vice president.

For those that know what they are doing, leadership is a teamwork and not a one man show. So, the earlier you comprehend this, the better for you. Especially those of you that may be opportune to one day be in position of authority. If you do not carry this vital lesson with you, you may end up ruining everything. Do not blame anyone when that happens. Just look in the mirror!

As our President continues to recuperate in London, I wish him the very best. I hope he gets well and come back to continue working for our dear country together with a man he trusted
to be his vice president and continues to trust him to be saddled with the responsibility of changing our country from the path of drift, lawlessness and ethno-religious chauvinism to a solemn path of justice, freedom and prosperity . Thanks. God bless Nigeria. Long live President Buhari Long live acting president Osinbajo Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani