Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has reiterated his call on
Nigerian elites to come together based on a common consensus to build
the nation as Nigerians clearly desire good governance.
Speaking
at the gala/ dinner event organised by the Christian Association of
Nigerian-Americans, CANAN in Houston, USA on Friday night, the Vice
President noted that, “ even in the midst of all the country is going
through, there is a growing consensus by all and sundry on the need for
good governance.”
According to a statement by Laolu Akande, Senior
Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice
President, at the event attended by leaders of the Nigerian community in
the US and American political leaders including US Congress Woman
Sheila Jackson Lee, the Vice President was presented an honorary US
Congressional Proclamation to commemorate his visit to Texas and also
honor the Buhari presidency.
Explaining the need for a group of
Nigerians who are committed to lifting the nation to rise up, Prof
Osinbajo noted that this was important to counter and stop those who are
working to pillage the resources of the country.
“This is why the
president and myself have made a call that we need a New Tribe of
Nigerians. We do need a new tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes
and ethnicities, who are commited to a country run on high values of
integrity, hard-work, justice and love for the country,” he said.
Continuing
he said “I mean a tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the
sacrifices and self-constraints that are crucial to building a strong
society; who are prepared to stick together, fight corruption side by
side, and insist on justice.”
Prof. Osinbajo pointed out that the
current administration takes diaspora issue very seriously, a reason,
according to him that the President appointed a Senior Special Assistant
on Diaspora in person of former House of Representative member, Mrs.
Abike Daibiri.
Highlighting the importance further, the VP also pointed at the
proposal for a Diaspora Commission, and a diaspora bond worth N1
trillion for investment purpose by both Nigerians at home and abroad.
Osinbajo
commended CANAN for its accomplishments during its short existence. He
listed some of CANAN’s achievements to include being in forefront of the
quest to designate Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, FTO,
by the US and also donating $50,000.00 in 2013 to Boko Haram victims,
stating that these are a demonstration of patriotism by members of the
association even while outside the shores of the country.
Speaking
earlier,the President of CANAN, Dr. James Fadel urged Nigerians to
engage in prophetic prayers in order to take the country out of its
current predicament.
Giving assurance that things will indeed end well for the country, Fadel enjoined Nigerians to pray for the country.
Nigerians,
Dr. Fadel said, must reject the tendency to be a consuming nation
without the desire to also produce, adding that what is needed now is
for all and sundry to build trust in God to win the battle against the
nation’s opposing forces.
At the event, the Vice President was
presented with an honorary congressional proclamation by US Congress
woman Sheila Jackson-Lee, who indicated that the US Congress takes
Nigeria as a very serious partner, a reason it has given great support
to the ongoing fight against Boko Haram.
She disclosed that it is
on record that, Nigeria is one of the countries that has its own Caucus
among the elected representative in the US Congress, made up of both
Democrats and Republicans.
Some Nigerians were honored at the gala
night for their achievements in various areas of human endeavors in the
US, including Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, the US-based Nigerian doctor who
recently operated on a pregnant American mother who had a tumor growth.
Olutoye removed the fetus, operated on the tumor, and returned the
fetus. The pregnant woman then completed the pregnancy term and
delivered the baby safely.
Vice President Osinbajo presented the laurels to all the high-flying US based Nigerians honored at the event.
