Like you, we often find it impossible to explain what it is exactly about Professor Osinbajo that makes him seem so dependable.

It could be anything from the way he chooses to approach any issue first by dialogue to the fact that you can be sure he won’t be found throwing shades at his absent principal – even though the man throws punchy shades. It could also be the way you know that though he may surprise you from time to time by showing up in a white or brown attire, his grey and black two-pieces are all time favourites.

Today, after getting a hold of the speech Professor Osinbajo delivered yesterday at the graduation ceremony of Senior Course 39 of the Armed Forces (Command and Staff College) in Kaduna, we think we may have cracked the first set of codes to figuring it out.

In the speech, the Acting President did not just address the graduating class, he addressed the whole nation. And on the issues that are most pressing to us. His admiration for the role of the military did not hinder him from sending a subtle message about the finality of our dictatorial years – an apt nod to the recent murmurs about a coup in Nigeria.



His seemingly off-base discourse on ethnic divisions in Nigeria and the real reasons they exist also played well to show off the single mindedness of a man who does things with the intention to see them through completely.

After spending a whole week consulting with stakeholders in a bid to put an end to the embarrassing ethnic rancour that has played out nationally through “quit notices” lately, it was only befitting that the Professor deemed it fit to share his final and conclusive thoughts on the matter on Friday, before men of the Force who will now bear the responsibility of ensuring the security of lives and property of all Nigerians regardless of tribe.

Still, in the 5-minute-long speech, the Acting President managed to leave the timeless message of living with a global mindset irrespective of whatever platform – virtual or physical – one finds themselves in our constantly evolving world.

Read the meat of the speech below the cut (if you’d rather watch him speak, click here).
Like you, we often find it impossible to explain what it is exactly about Professor Osinbajo that makes him seem so dependable.

It could be anything from the way he chooses to approach any issue first by dialogue to the fact that you can be sure he won’t be found throwing shades at his absent principal – even though the man throws punchy shades. It could also be the way you know that though he may surprise you from time to time by showing up in a white or brown attire, his grey and black two-pieces are all time favourites.

Today, after getting a hold of the speech Professor Osinbajo delivered yesterday at the graduation ceremony of Senior Course 39 of the Armed Forces (Command and Staff College) in Kaduna, we think we may have cracked the first set of codes to figuring it out.

In the speech, the Acting President did not just address the graduating class, he addressed the whole nation. And on the issues that are most pressing to us. His admiration for the role of the military did not hinder him from sending a subtle message about the finality of our dictatorial years – an apt nod to the recent murmurs about a coup in Nigeria.



His seemingly off-base discourse on ethnic divisions in Nigeria and the real reasons they exist also played well to show off the single mindedness of a man who does things with the intention to see them through completely.

After spending a whole week consulting with stakeholders in a bid to put an end to the embarrassing ethnic rancour that has played out nationally through “quit notices” lately, it was only befitting that the Professor deemed it fit to share his final and conclusive thoughts on the matter on Friday, before men of the Force who will now bear the responsibility of ensuring the security of lives and property of all Nigerians regardless of tribe.

Still, in the 5-minute-long speech, the Acting President managed to leave the timeless message of living with a global mindset irrespective of whatever platform – virtual or physical – one finds themselves in our constantly evolving world.

Read the meat of the speech below the cut (if you’d rather watch him speak, click here).



The occasion of the graduation of the elite corps of our Military, armed services, intelligence and Foreign Service members is one that offers an opportunity for reflection on national issues.

We are the identifiable public service elite of our nation, paid for with taxpayers money, and so we must be its foremost think-thank. So, permit me to address you for a short while on the subject — We can build a new Nigeria.

In these past few years, more and more, we began to hear expressions such as Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities; we began to see more identification by race and geopolitical zones, Ndigbo people, Arewa people, the Yoruba people, South-South, North-East, South-West, North-West and South-East; and other parochial descriptions that were hitherto unknown.

The rise of ethnic chauvinism rode on the wings of several agitations. The narrative of most agitations centres around alleged marginalisation and fears of dominance of one faith over the other.

In the 2015 elections, the ruling party repeatedly tried to cast the opposition as a party of Islamists determined to islamise Nigeria. The expression supporter of APC party took root.

Most ethnic agitations are centered around getting a larger share of the national cake or more favoured placement in the food chain because they were essentially elite claims: the vast majority of the populations of the ethnic groups that win some concession or the other never really benefit.

So, the mere fact that a South-South person became President did not necessarily translate to prosperity for the tribe, neither was it the case when a President from the North-West emerged, nor one from the South-West.

Aside from a few individual beneficiaries of some appointments or the other, there is usually nothing to show for the ethnic group of those who emerge in Nigeria’s numerous ethnic contests for power. Yet, the contests of the tribes are heightened by the elite, usually for personal political or commercial ends.

When you hear a person say that my tribe has been marginalized usually what he is saying is “appoint me“. The ethnic card is an effective bargaining tool.

A major drawback of ethnic chauvinism is the way that it is used to mask wrongdoing and promote impunity. Notice that when people are charged with looting public funds they quickly find a counter narrative. It is because I am Yoruba, Fulani or Igbo; or the Christians or Muslims are after me.

Appointments in the public service are no longer even judged on merit. The question is how many are from my own ethnic group. A terrible affliction, when you consider that what we are looking for are men and women of integrity and talent to run our economy and create a future for our children. Why is that when we want to win at football we don’t ask which ethnic group the players are from? But perhaps at its most extreme and dangerous are hate-filled agitations for secession or autonomy.

In the past few weeks we have as a nation witnessed the escalation of such agitations usually couched in deliberately intemperate and provocative language. The reckless deployment of hate speech and the loud expressions of prejudice and hate, name calling of those of other ethnicities and faiths is a new and destructive evil in our public discourse. But even more divisive words, expressions, and actions calculated to create fear and uncertainty have also been freely used.

Young people in the South-Eastern states under the aegis IPOB, issued a stay at home order as part of actions to prove support for their agitations for secession. In the Northern states young people under the aegis of the Arewa youth, issued an ultimatum to Igbos living in the Northern states to vacate before the 1st of October.

The problem with hate-filled and divisive speech is that they tap into some of the basest human instincts, bringing up irrational suspicions, fear, anger, and hatred and ultimately mindless violence. People who have lived together as neighbours and friends suddenly begin to see each other as mortal enemies.

The tensions that led to the killing of over 800,000 Tutsis and Hutus, considered Tutsi sympathizers, in the Rwandan genocide, were roused by hate media. The most notorious was the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLMC), which became immensely popular as a young, hip alternative to the official voice of the government. It played popular music, and encouraged the public to phone-in and participate in radio broadcasts. Amongst its listeners, RTLMC attracted the unemployed youth and Interhamwe (Canadian NGO). The station also became notorious for its covert and overt naming of Tutsi individuals who it claimed deserved to be killed.

https://ynaija.com/presidential-blog-even-last-thing-read-mustnt-miss-speech-osinbajo/