Nigeria: Leadership Without Impact On People Irrelevant, Says Osinbajo

Leadership is not just about holding exalted positions, but the real test is in the dedication and service to the people, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has said.

Osinbajo made the assertion in Abuja at the fifth anniversary celebration of the North East Children’s Trust (NECT) Learning Centre; a charity educational centre he envisioned in 2016 and which took off a year later in Maiduguri, for children orphaned by the insurgency in the North East.

According to a statement issued by the spokesman of the vice president, Laolu Akande, the event which featured different performances by some of the students highlighted the changes that have occurred in the lives and circumstances of many of the orphans and had in attendance, government dignitaries and traditional rulers from the North.

In his remarks before he led the cutting of the cake, the vice president described the children and teachers of the North East Children’s Trust Learning Centre as real heroes, especially the orphans, who had overcome the trauma of the insurgency in Borno State and other parts of the North East.

Also at the ceremony, the Borno State governor Babagana Zulum and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, praised the vice president for spearheading the initiative, as well as his dedication and commitment to the education and welfare of the children in the school since it was established.

The NECT Learning Centre, which boasts of some of the best facilities in terms of education, vocational education and digital literacy, has 173 of its children now in secondary school.

According to the VP, he was very impressed when he met with the outstanding young men and women who passed through the centre.

Commending the immediate past and current Borno State governors Kashim Shettima and Babagana Zulum respectively for their roles in the development of the centre, the VP noted that “if you are not able to serve the people with everything that you have and with all your heart, then it would be irrelevant and perhaps even unjustified.

So, I want to really commend Governor Zulum and his predecessor Governor Shettima for the great work they have done.”

He specifically praised them for their dedication to ensuring the best for the children. According to him, since “Governor Zulum took over from the former governor, he has also done incredible work, not just promoting the work of the centre, but also in advancing it.”

On the impact of teachers on the children’s education and well-being at the learning centre, the VP said: “These teachers are a special bunch of people, very special, and I explained to them what we are trying to achieve. This is not any ordinary school. We are trying to achieve and develop a school that would be a world-class learning centre.

“And I said to them, that what we want from you teachers is a generous spirit, and we want you to love and care for these children. And the teachers have been incredible and absolutely wonderful, and they have done such a great job with everything you see today.”

While thanking the NECT board, led by Mr. Jim Ovia, the management, and all who have contributed to the centre’s development, the VP again commended the Borno State government for doing a lot of work in the area of education and building schools.

In the same vein, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar thanked the vice president for his selfless service and “commitment and concern to such project” even as he urged other leaders and state governors to take ownership and replicate such initiatives.

“I’d like to thank the Vice President to continue this initiative and many more. You will not lack committed people who will work with you and any other person to improve on this initiative and make it much better,” the Sultan said in his remarks.

Other dignitaries at the event included the deputy governor of Plateau State, Prof Sonni Tyoden, minister of women affairs and social development, Pauline Tallen, Senator Ali Ndume, chairman of Zenith Bank as well as chairman of NECT, Mr Jim Ovia.

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