Tinubu colloquium: Buhari, others chart way forward for national integration

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerians should learn from the lessons of civil war as such they would not allow religion, ethnicity, and other differences to divide them.

This is as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) said it was time for the country to increase the numbers of a new tribe of Nigerian men and women of all faiths, tribes, and ethnicities committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard work, justice, and love of country.

The two spoke in their addresses delivered virtually at the 12th Bola Ahmed Tinubu Colloquium held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano on Monday. The president chaired the occasion while the VP was the special guest.

At the event, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is the host, urged the government to recruit from among the youth in order to deplete the recruitment base of the insurgence.

In his welcome address, the Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who hosted the event, expressed happiness over the decision of Tinubu to celebrate his colloquim in the ancient city of Kano.

He lamented that national integration was low and Nigerian needed to unite and trust one another for nation-build

He emphasized the imperative of National cohesion for growth and prosperity which he challenged politicians to strive and achieve.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Dani Rodrick, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy at the John/ F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, advised the Nigerian government to allow participatory democracy.

According to him, democracy is not about the election. It is about protecting the rights of the minority and less privileged.

He said the government must promote inter-ethnic equity, spatial integration, management of economic shocks, and encompassing politics to stimulate growth and development.

Nigeria stronger and better together -Buhari

The president said the opportunity of serving in different parts of the country as well as fought for the unity of the country during his military career, convinced him that Nigeria is stronger and better together.

He said, “Despite occasional inter-ethnic tensions in our national history, it seems to me that we have all agreed on one point that, notwithstanding our diversity of ethnicity, culture, language, and religion, Nigerians are better together; even stronger together.”

The President at the event to mark the 69th birthday of the former two-term Governor of Lagos State commended the celebrant for always being an advocate of unity and cohesion in Nigeria.

“This has been a constant factor in his outstanding political career, from the time he served in the short-lived senate of the Third Republic to his involvement in the struggle for the actualization of the June 12 mandate of the late Chief MKO Abiola, to his much-acclaimed period of service as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

“The ranks of Asiwaju’s political collaborators, whether as party members, comrades in the struggle, members of his cabinet, or his advisers, assistants and political associates, have always reflected a pan-Nigeria attitude. I believe all of us here can also confirm that the same outlook of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other like-minded Nigerians eventually made possible the coalition of four political parties into what we now see as our great party, the All Progressives Congress,” he said.

President Buhari noted that the theme of the colloquium, “Our common bond, our commonwealth,” further reflected the personal principles of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in promoting the unity and welfare of the country

He said, “I think this Colloquium is a fitting reflection of the service that Asiwaju has given, not only to Lagos State but to Nigeria and Africa; as well as his continuing commitment and influence, as one of the great pillars of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Equally I salute all those who have kept this Colloquium culture alive and thriving, making it a rich source of wisdom in our common quest for a better world and, of course, a greater Nigeria.

“Today’s event promises an even more relevant and impactful discussion than ever before. The theme for this 12th edition, “Our Common Bond, Our Common Wealth: The Imperative of National Cohesion for Growth and Prosperity,” speaks to a very contemporary but potentially ruinous trend, which, in my view, we must all join hands to check at once,” he said.

The President said his experience of working in all parts of the country showed possibilities of a strong, united nation.

“I can also relate personally to the ideals of one Nigeria. As a military officer, I have served with great comrades from all the nooks and crannies of our country. I have seen over and over again that their goodness or failings did not depend on ethnicity or religion.

“In the course of my career, I have also been opportune to serve in all parts of Nigeria, seeing first-hand the enticing possibilities of a strong, united nation.

“More importantly, I fought for the unity of Nigeria during the civil war of 1967 to 1970, and I saw first-hand the unspeakable horrors of war, not just on fellow soldiers on both sides, but on the civilians: innocent children, women, and elderly citizens that they left behind. As we all know, the peace-building, recovery, and reconstruction that followed could also not have succeeded under an atmosphere of inter-ethnic animosity.

“We must count our blessings in Nigeria and see in them the crucial factors of peace and unity,” the President added.

President Buhari also said: “I think the lessons of this Colloquium are clear. Our very best course of conduct, whether as leaders and citizens, is to now ensure that justice and harmony reign in Nigeria; to devote the resources of our country solely to its development and for the benefit of all our citizens; and in the process, to ensure that every Nigerian feels comfortable in every part of Nigeria.

“We all have a stake in the Nigeria project and, while playing our respective parts in its unity, peace, and progress, we must constantly keep faith with the promise of a greater Nigeria.”

The President congratulated Tinubu on his 69th birthday, extending greetings to his wife, Yeye Asiwaju, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the family while praying “best of health, happiness, strength, and wisdom” for the celebrant.

“It is a mark of true statesmanship that your birthday should be hosted in Kano and celebrated in this way, with friends and associates from all parts of Nigeria joining in,” he added.

Recruit 50m youths to reduce unemployment Tinubu tells Buhari

The former Lagos governor advised the government to embark on a massive employment drive of the youth into the army, police, and farming in order to gainfully engage them and deplete the recruitment base of insurgence.

While saluting the youth, he said their recent protests in the country was a way of communicating their frustration to the leaders, who must act fast to address the situation.

Tinubu said, “The rate 33 per cent unemployed youths is heart disturbing, we must create job for the youth to have rest of mind.

“Nigerians have been fasting for a very long time we need a break now. I hope the National Assembly and the president will not pay time for Austerity.”

Tinubu said the Nigeria should leave peacefully among themselves and eschew bitterness.

“I am in Kano because of a herdsman who gave his daughter to a Yoruba farmer, a Yoruba man, with my brother and an in-law, a Kano man, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. I need no Visa to come to Kano.”

“What myself and Ganduje are showcasing to Nigerians is the principle of togetherness, ideals of maturity and strong bond of relationship between two Nigerians that are committed in the Nigeria projects.

“Kano is lucky to have Ganduje as it’s governor ” I even regret coming to Kano because since my arrival the governor did not allow me to have a rest.”

Also in his remark, the Vice President eulogized Tinubu for his good qualities of leadership style.

He said, the National leader of the APC had become an institution in the country because he had paid his dues politically and had continued to do both in kind and action.

“The colloquium has itself become an institution, an institution in honour of an institution Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This explains why gathered here today is a serving Vice President, several governors, former governors, commissioners, and former commissioners, ministers, former ministers, local government functionaries, social agitators, top career journalists who can trace their careers and political trajectories to Asiwaju’s leadership.

“What is responsible for this phenomenon is Asiwaju’s leadership style, and it is an unusual one especially in developing democracies.

“Central to that style is; first a belief that development, economic, social, political development depends on enabling a contest of ideas, whether that is within a political party or its caucuses, a cabinet meeting or even just thinking through a problem.

“By exposing his thoughts and ideas constantly to debate and contestation, he refines his views constantly and is at the cutting edge of issues as varied as artificial intelligence, vaccines, to even what sort of legal processes or arguments should be filed in a matter in court!”

“Second, and perhaps more importantly, because he is not afraid of having his ideas scrutinized, criticized by even subordinates, he is able to lead a vast array of persons of strong, deeply held convictions, and a variety of ideologies.

“The third in that leadership style is that he is completely comfortable engaging across ethnic, religious, and partisan divides.

“It is his belief that national development is only possible where we, the leaders are constantly interrogating ideas, perspectives and opinions which are what led some of us who worked with him through the years, to formalize our constant debates so that on his birthday we open up discussions on some issues or issues of national importance.”

Osinbajo said the theme of the colloquium focused on peacebuilding and national cohesion and sought to offer innovative strategies for sustaining peace, and prosperity in a heterogenous society like Nigeria.

He said, “We believe that we now have an opportunity to increase the numbers of a new tribe of Nigerians; a tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes and ethnicities committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard work, justice, and love of country.

“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 for equity, and justice side by side.

“A tribe consisting of professionals, businessmen, politicians, religious leaders, and all others who believe that this new Nigeria is possible and already we have built and are building the building blocks for this new Nigeria.”

Osinbajo said that Ganduje offered to host the event, which took place outside Lagos for the first term showed that the country and its people are stronger and more powerful together than apart.

“For the purveyors of breaking up into small components/countries, perhaps they should be reminded that we would not have been able to accept Governor Ganduje’s offer to come to Kano at short notice, since we would all have needed visas to come to Kano,” he said.

At the event were the chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Commission (CECPC) and Yobe Governor, mai mala Buni; President of Liberia, George Weah, former President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma; Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Finda Koroma, the Resident Representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mohammed Yahaya.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan, House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, Foreign Affairs Minister, Geofrey Onyema, and his Labour counterpart, Dr. Chris Ngige, as well as Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and, Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) joined virtually.

There were also former and serving members of the National Assembly, Kano State House of Assembly, ministers and other dignitaries.