Senator Ken Nnamani’s Book Launch Titled “Standing Strong: Legislative Reforms, Third Term, And Other Issues Of The 5th Senate” On 21/10/2021

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SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT SENATOR KEN NNAMANI’S BOOK LAUNCH TITLED “STANDING STRONG: LEGISLATIVE REFORMS, THIRD TERM, AND OTHER ISSUES” OF THE 5TH SENATE” ON THE 21^ST OF OCTOBER, 2021

PROTOCOLS

First, let me apologize for coming late and I also apologize on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who is my fellow traveler in coming late. We were at a Security Council meeting and we also had to attend the 6th anniversary of the Future Assured project established by the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari.

But, I think it’s a measure of the respect and admiration we all have for Senator Ken Nnamani that we are all here and that the President has, in fact, sent a representative in the person of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, knowing that he would on account of these engagements be unable to make it here in good time.

I am here to honour an honourable Nigerian, a man who from everything we have heard and for all that we know, truly loves this nation and who has made sacrifices for its good, Senator Ken Nnamani.

The first thing that you notice about him, especially if you observe politics and politicians, is a lack of desperation to occupy political offices. It’s clear that he wants to serve, but not at all cost. That lack of desperation I believe, has greatly helped him in having the courage of his convictions. This is why even at the risk of losing his Senate presidency, at a time when, as you heard from Senator Wabara moments ago, there were so many banana peels. He stood against the notorious third term agenda and he stood strong.

The truth is that a nation such as ours must have men and women who are capable of standing strong. This means as His Excellency Babaginda Aliyu had said, persons able to buck the trend, to work in the interest of the nation in all circumstances.

Senator Nnamani, we are today faced with challenges that call for the same type of strong leadership that you showed many years ago as President of the Senate, especially on the question of national unity and building a just, fair, and equitable society, because we know that we as a nation are better together than apart and that our collective future is worth fighting for.

Therefore, this generation of leaders have a historic responsibility to hand over an economically and socially strong and united nation to the coming generations. That is what we received and that’s what we should hand over to the coming generations and of course, even with improvements.

Your role in national life Sir has just begun. This book of your exploits in national life and the Legislature is merely the beginning of an unfolding epic story of national leadership in difficult times, a story of courageous and honest leadership when truth and integrity are so needed. That story will end well for you and for our nation.

I must also congratulate you on the launch of course, of your well celebrated autobiographical piece and thank you for paying his important civic tax of sharing your story as an accurate account of history; as an encouragement to service with integrity for those who currently hold political office and an inspiration to the young men and women to whom the torch would be handed.

Congratulations on this book!

God bless you.