President Bola Tinubu has urged legal practitioners in the country to rededicate themselves to providing services that will help build the nation.
The President, speaking at the 2023 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Abuja, stated that such rededication must begin with a change of mindset and total commitment to national development.
Tinubu Described the theme of the conference ‘Getting It Right, Charting The Course Of Nigeria’s Nation Building’, as “extremely apt and extremely relevant to our present situation as a country”,
According to Tinubu, “we have to get it right. Why are we so blessed and we are still lacking? Change your mindsets. We complain a lot about the past. But is that the solution? No!
“Look forward, be determined. God has given us a creative mind and will. Nigeria is our country, our motherland. It is our responsibility to build it,”
Tinubu emphasized that his administration would effectively collaborate with the private sector which he described as drivers of economic growth and prosperity.
He added that such cooperation would ensure the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
Speaking on the need for adequate electricity supply in the country, he said “Yes, it is a shame not to have adequate electricity for the mass majority of homes in Nigeria and to power our industries. How can we address poverty without electricity? We can take many people out of poverty with uninterrupted electricity supply. Poverty is not acceptable, and we must banish it”.
He emphasized the need for the country to discontinue to use revenue from its abundant resources to service external debts.
“Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable. We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world.
“It may be painful at the beginning, but let us look at the long run. It is not about me. It is not about you. It is for the generations yet unborn,” Tinubu stated.
While appreciating the NBA for granting him the honor of declaring the conference open, Tinubu noted that he was confident that with the caliber of personalities he appointed into his cabinet as Ministers, the country would be better in no distant time.
“However, I cannot say that I may not make mistakes, but I will not make costly mistakes. I have surrounded myself with great minds and one of them is the Attorney-General of the Federation.”
He noted that what he required from his Ministers was “a change of attitude and a change of approach to governance.”
He enjoined the legal minds to always give his administration constructive criticisms. Noting that he will “change”.
“It is not about money, but it is about your love for my activism and capacity. Therefore, whatever it is that I am doing right, remind me and I will continue to do them.
“Whatever it is that I am doing wrong, tell me and I will change” he said.
Speaking further, he said “With over 16, 000 legal minds attending this conference, you are not here for picnic. You are here to chart the path and I trust and expect this of all of you gathered here, so that together, we can build our country and set Nigeria on the path of greatness. And I promise you that I will do my best to achieve this.”
The NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, in his welcome address, said he was confident that Tinubu would replicate the good works he did while he served as the governor of Lagos State.
“President Tinubu got it right in Lagos, and it is our considered expectation that as President of Nigeria, you will not only replicate your achievements in Lagos, but surpass them for our country,” the NBA President stated.
Those in attendance at the conference include the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, past NBA Presidents and many senior government officials.
