Nigerian Vice
President , Prof Yemi Osinbajo has declared that it is total rubbish to
attribute the discovery of River Niger to Mungo Park. Osinbajo said people were already fishing in River Niger before Park’s grand father was born.
He made this comment on Tuesday at the ongoing programmed tagged The Platform.
Osinbajo,
who harped on the need for Nigerians to promote their own, noted that
there are many young persons from this country who have contributed
intellectually to the growth of the nation.
“I tell you, it is
total rubbish to say Mungo Park discovered RiverNiger. We all know that
people where fishing in the River beforeMungo Park’s grandfather was
born.
“This calls for the need for us to promote our own,” he said.
According
to the vice president, “our business as government is to create more
enabling environment for entrepreneurs to do business and create more
infrastructure.
“We have to provide more jobs as more people are added to the population everyday.
“Today we are confronted with the remnants of Boko Haram with farmers/herdsmen clashes and ethno-religious conflicts,’’ he said.
Osinbajo
recalled that when oil was selling for 100 to 142 dollars per barrel,
the budget of Transport and Agriculture Ministries; all the ministries
together got 139 billion.
“Today with oil prices between 60 and
70 dollars per barrel, the Power, Works and Housing, Agriculture and
Transport Ministries got N560 billion.
“How come we can do more with less income?
“How
come we are able to invest in infrastructure. How come we can do the
Lagos-Kano standard rail gauge; the Second NgerBridge, with 60 per cent
less income than we earned a few years ago,” he asked.
“The job of the builder is not to complain. I believe the solution is in building that Nigerian bridge.
“A bridge that will be built on the strongest materials of all and to excel in our commitment to build a new society.
“A
bridge that connects us across tribes; across ethnicity; across
dialects; a bridge that connects us across religion; across politics;
and across even generations.
“Everyone of us can travel on this
bridge. A bridge that rises from innovation and traditions and stands
the troubled waters of our past.
“A bridge that can take the
traffic of all our best Nigerians and creativity; and human and
materials to the destination of our dream.”