Speaking against the backdrop of excruciating and increasingly biting economic hardship across the length and breadth of Nigeria, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has told fellow members of the team that is supposed to make life better for Nigerians, that the Muhammadu Buhari presidency will no longer accept excuses from ministers for their inability to deliver socio-economic dividends to the populace.
Staple foods like Garri, rice and beans have shot through the roof, many resort to herbal rather than orthodox medications; many still seek decent accommodation; while many have been unable to change their wardrobes in the last two years, which was preceded by corruption-induced profligacy.
But at a Cabinet Retreat on the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP), and the 2018 Budget preparation, Thursday, in Abuja. Professor Osinbajo agreed with guest from Malaysia, Dr Idris Jala, a former top official of the Malaysian government, that the time has come to be disciplined; be unreasonable in targets and objectives; work diligently; and accept to be locked in a room for as long as it takes to iron out what needs to be done.
He said further: “I like the point also that Dr Jala made that the excuse that it won’t work here, the Nigerian factor, or some say exceptionalism, or the acceptance of failure before you even start is certainly not tenable any more.
“We simply have to accept that there is nothing Nigerian about failure, because as we know in our personal lives, failure and success are commodities on offer to everyone all over the world and every individual and every country makes a choice of which to buy and I will say on our behalf that we will choose success.
Dr Jala, I have heard motivational speeches, but this is one I think that challenges our whole legitimacy as persons entrusted with leadership.
“I think it goes beyond motivational speech, I think it really challenges the core of our relevance as leaders and I am challenged and I know that many of us here are and I think that we will do what we need to do to make sure that we see through the labs that we have to identify specific areas where we will do this labs. We must see to it that this works.”