Traditional Rulers Should Condemn Corruption– Osinbajo

SAN FRANCISCO, February 18, (THEWILL) – Traditional rulers in the country should raise a strong voice of condemnation against those who have stolen public funds and engaged in corruption capable of crippling the country, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said.

According to LAOLU AKANDE, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in The Office of the Vice President, the call was made during a meeting with a group of traditional rulers and leaders from Remo-Land, Ogun State.

“As leaders we must condemn corruption in the strongest terms,” he said.

“I think it's right that we condemn corruption in strong terms, more so that traditional rulers do not belong to any political party. The kind of corruption we experienced in the recent past is the kind that in any other part of the world it would be considered as a crime against humanity.”

Osinbajo told the delegation led by Akarigbo of Remo-Land, Oba (Dr) Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, that the Buhari administration is fully committed to the anti-corruption crusade and “going forward, the determination of this government is to ensure that people know that corruption has consequences.”

“We will not only hold those who have served to account, but also hold ourselves to account.” He said this is how to avoid the Hobbesian state of nature where life is “poor, nasty, brutish and short.”

“We are trying to put in place a system that ensures that there is consequence if you do wrong. So that the people you serve, very poor are not treated like animals.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Michael Sonariwo commended the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for its anti-corruption policies.

Also, the Vice President met a delegation from the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics (NAEE) today in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said experts in the energy, oil and gas sectors should contribute their expertise in the sector if the sector would overcome all its challenges.

Prof. Osinbajo expressed that it is strategic for professionals as well as members of the Energy Economics to always join in the energy debate and render their expert advice to government, adding that President Buhari's administration is transparent and open and this would also make government to be accountable.

Earlier, leader of the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, Prof. Wumi Iledare, who is also a Professor of Petroleum Economics at the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt, said he was in the State House to invite the Vice President as Special Guest to the 9th NAEE/IAEE International Conference, “Energizing Emerging Economics: The Role of Natural Gas and Renewable Energy” coming up in April.

Story by David Oputah