Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (right), Senior Pastor, Covenant Christian Centre, Poju Oyemade and others at The Platform in Lagos …yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
Speakers at the 2018 edition of The Platform in Lagos yesterday urged Nigerians to stop the blame game and get involved by participating in the political process and governance of the country.
The 2018 edition, themed: “Get involved’’ was organised by the Covenant Christian Centre, Iganmu, Lagos. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was the keynote speaker at the one-day event.
The Vice president said that real nation building is principally the accomplishments of those outside political leadership.He challenged Nigerians to contribute in transformative ways to the development of the country, adding that a creative generation would breed a successful generation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Senior Pastor, Harvest Place, Maryland, Lagos, Francis Adebayo, urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards to enable them vote for leaders of their choice.
“Nation building is not about folding our hands, it requires sacrifice; we should not be among the talkers alone, enough of Facebook analysis.“We put so much blame on the president, when the local government chairman is not doing anything, it is time to take the country back and the power is in our hands,” Adebayo said.
The cleric urged people not to give up on Nigeria but should strive and make the country work.“Ninety per cent of people that left this country to America left because they believe that the country cannot work.
“Some people are in Nigeria and they have given up, they will even tell you not to vote because your vote will not count,’’ he said.He said Nigerians should get involved in politics regardless of party affiliation.
President, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, Mrs. Sola Ajulo, says good governance is a process adding that a nation would pay dearly for missing any step.“The nation has missed so many steps, there are no shortcuts to development; we have had 16 administrations since independence and if we don’t change the way we behave, there will not be any change in the 17th administration,” she said.
Ajulo said that all Nigerians have roles to play by identifying and addressing issues of public concern.Another speaker, Dr. Charles Omole, a leadership consultant, identified lack of change in political leadership as one of the problems facing Nigeria.“Nigerians should get registered to vote and be voted for, engage in political discourse, become a political evangelists and activists,’’ he said.
