Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday has lauded his boss, stating that he exists to inspire as he turns 66.
Akande noted that in pursuit of personal or national fulfillment, the role of inspiration and imagination is not only critical but also irreplaceable, which is why those who can inspire must remain at the forefront.
“What I have come to know about the VP is that he is an inspirer, and watching him do things is in itself an inspiration. People like that exist to motivate individuals, groups, and nations to achieve goals and objectives that further their causes and lead inexorably to greatness.
“He instills something in people that leads to excellence, endurance, and empathy, all of which he exemplifies.
“Excellence; so that people can reach into themselves to discover hidden capacities.
Endurance allows people to persevere in their pursuit of a vision by instilling patience and humility.
Finally, empathy strengthens a common human bond by which individuals become examples of selflessness, rendering service and value on both private and public levels, according to Akande.
He continued “let me give just a few illustrations.
“It is the empathy that took him to Maiduguri in the early months of this administration where he led a charitable effort that produced the Learning Centre where orphans coming out of the insurgency have in the last 6 years now been receiving some of the best types of education available anywhere in the world.
“It is the endurance that kept him in place when all kinds of malevolent forces were bent on diminishing the effective delivery of public goods directly to the people of this nation on an unprecedented scale such as the Social Investment Programme of the Buhari Administration when some entrusted with leadership responsibilities wanted to privatize the process by sharing slots among the elites in a scheme meant to secure some social safety nets in a country fiercely battling poverty.
“Finally, it is the excellence for instance that makes him interrogate his aides and people pushing laudable ideas in and out of government by demanding for scaling up the numbers. After all, he would wonder “what’s the use of a government programme that reaches only a few thousand in a population of over 200m?
“For him, Excellence says think, not just out of the box, but think big. Do the hard part, apply yourself, be relentless, and work tirelessly toward goals. I can disclose that in the past 8 years, the average close time in the Vice President’s office is 8 or 9 pm. Several times we have been at work past 12 midnight. Excellence spares no effort after all.
“So today as the Vice President (Osinbajo) turns 66, I wish him a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day. My dear boss, and Nigeria’s number 2 citizen, we pray that as your days so shall your strength, wisdom, and favour be with God and man!”
