Professor Osinbajo dismisses call for restructuring saying diversification is what matters

VICE president Professor Yemi Osinbajo has hit back at those calling for the dismemberment of the country adding that what Nigeria needs is the diversification of its economy and not political restructuring.

 

Since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in May last year, calls for the restructuring of the country have intensified with several groups even calling for secession. In the southeast for instance, there have been numerous calls for the recreation of the defunct republic of Biafra.

 

However, according to Professor Osinbajo Nigeria needs diversification of the economy and not restructuring because the federal government controls the bulk of the resources. Speaking the second Foundation Lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State, in a lecture titled The Future is Here Earlier Than We Thought, he urged Nigerians to embrace technology as a vital key to development.

 

Professor Osinbajo said: “We are not earning enough from oil and taxes anymore, the nation is blessed, every state can feed itself and also export if we engage in agriculture. Even if states are given half of the resources of the federal government, the situation will not change, as the only change is to diversify the economy.”

 

In his lecture, he said understanding the way technology works and thinking out of the box is the way to go in the world of today. Professor Osinbajo stressed that the path to greatness and development is in critical thinking and coming up with innovative ideas.

He pointed out that the old way of doing things are gone with the advances of technology.

 

Recognising the central role innovation and technology play for national economic growth plan, Professor Osinbajo said that the federal government provided extensively for technology and innovation in the current budget.

 

“This year we are establishing technology hubs across the country, with two super hubs in Abuja and  Lagos and six regional hubs in the six geopolitical zones. In partnership with several technology companies the hubs will be fully resourced with infrastructure and capacity building,” he added.

 

Furthermore, the vice president said that the federal government will also train a pool of 100,000 software developers, hardware service professionals, animators, graphic artists, building services professionals, artisans and others. The government, he said, has further launched a special presidential initiative on technology and start-ups and that 50 of the most innovative technology start-ups would soon be invited to the presidential villa to meet with major technology and innovation companies as well as to collaborate with the federal government.