Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday said without public office, he would have remained a pressure group activist without making the changes that Nigeria required.
The vice-president also said that the country cannot afford to have its best minds and most committed social activists remain only in the civil space, advising that they should get involved in politics.
Speaking at a virtual forum where he interacted with Nigerian Fellows of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Prof. Osinbajo said the way to transform society is largely dependent on the actions and decisions of those who occupy public offices.
A statement issued by the vice-presidents spokesman, Laolu Akande, stated that the interaction included a question and answer session where questions were posed to the Osinbajo on education, health, and youth engagement issues.
According to the Vice-President, you need to go the extra length if you are not already involved, get involved in politicswhile a lot can be achieved in civil society, the government still holds the ace in terms of capacity and resources to bring social goods to the largest numbers.
Besides, being deciders instead of pressure group at the table in policy formulation are hugely different positions. The consummation of our great ideas to transform our societies ultimately will depend on those politicians as we sometimes derisively describe them.
Continuing, he noted that African nations and especially our country, cannot afford to have its best minds and most committed social activists remain only in the civil space. No, we simply cant afford it, you have to get involved in politics. You have to be in the position to make the difference on the scale that is required”.
