President Bola Tinubu has said it is imperative for Nigerians to have a change of value system if the nation is to make progress.
The President, according to a release issued on Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, spoke in Lagos on Monday evening when he played host to a delegation from the National Assembly who came to felicitate with him on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.
The delegation, led by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, included the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Benjamin Kalu, among others.
President Tinubu challenged citizens to have a change of mindset about Nigeria if the nation is to overcome its current challenges.
“The need (for some citizens) to change the rent-seeking mindset and become more productive to the economy is a challenge. The need to stop smuggling and all economic sabotage.
“Why should we have people removing rail tracks and all that, stealing electric cables and sabotaging the economy? We must embrace the campaign to change our value system. We must tell our people that the challenge we face is for all of us to change our mindset about our country.
“Good economics at a harsh time is the challenge that we must face. As I said in my speech, no matter how difficult it is and how challenging it can be, I will not turn my back on Nigeria,” the President stated.
He commended the leadership of the National Assembly for the support extended to his administration, which has resulted in some of the important developments recorded by his administration.
“It is great pride for me to have the best of partners in the National Assembly. We have to drill down and be all-inclusive in our bid to satisfy our people. It is daunting, but we cannot run away from the fact that this country must survive the hardship,” the President stated.
President Tinubu acknowledged the challenges and the task ahead, assuring the nation of his unwavering determination to turn things around.
According to him: “Yes, there is poverty; there is suffering in the land. We are not the only people facing such, but we must face our challenges. We must find a way to eliminate banditry and terrorism so that farmers can bring out food from the farmland. If you do not have good roads to bring the food to the population, even if you grow the food and you are losing 60-70 percent to damages, you will pay the price”.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said he came with the leadership of the National Assembly to pay homage and felicitate with the President on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir and to thank him for the purposeful leadership in the first year of his administration.
On what Nigerians should expect from the legislature in the days ahead, Senator Akpabio said: “Looking forward, the National Assembly will tinker with some existing legislations to further improve on the nation’s ease of doing business.”
After meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly, the President proceeded to a meeting with the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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In the Hobbesian state of nature, life is not only “short, nasty and brutish”, but also illogical. Hence, man had to invent that leviathan, known as the State, who they have empowered to deal with those who may wish to perpetuate, and continually benefit from, the Hobbesian reality. Today, Tinubu is at the head of that leviathan, and is imbued with all the powers of State, with which he can detect, investigate and punish all those who wish to uphold the Hobbesian reality, at the expense of the majority of society. Therefore, Tinubu should stop feigning helplessness, because he is not a helpless by-stander in this matter: he is well positioned and empowered to act against the malaise he is complaining about.
Whereas, when we continually positively reinforce negative behaviour, there will be no incentive for those who engage in such conduct to behave in a positive manner, more especially when their negative conduct is rewarding to them. Therefore, if Tinubu does not insist that actions must have consequences, and negative conduct is negatively reinforced, nothing will change, no matter how much he preaches.