My social contract with Nigerians intact

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has said his social contract on security, economy and poverty reduction remain intact.

Tinubu stated this yesterday at the 10th Anniversary Memorial Lecture of the late Olatunji Akintunde Braithwaite, in Abuja.

He said his administration would have brought Braithwaite on board to contribute his quota on strengthening the social contract with Nigerians.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the President said: “Our social contract is so clear. Conditional cash transfer, the poorest of the poor, cultural development and rural growth, to help farmers evacuate the produce from rural areas to selling centres.

“The reform set up to deliberately bring to the doorsteps of our students, particularly those who are not born into wealth and privilege, but are talented enough to go to the universities, is in place.

“They have access to healthcare for pregnant women, government loans for small, medium scale enterprises. The list is endless.”

According to him, Dr. Braithwaite did not only challenge the status quo through political activism, but also through courage and public discourse, and advocated true federalism and the restructuring of Nigeria’s governance.

“In 2014, he was a revived voice of the National Conference, wishing for a more equitable and united Nigeria. His endeavours were not solely confined to the local and political arena,” he added.

Chairman at the occasion and former governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande, tasked politicians to emulate the late Braithwaite to ensure that good governance is sustained.

Akande said: “As we honour Dr. Braithwaite, we must ask ourselves difficult questions. Where are the leaders who will speak truth without calculation?

“Where are the leaders who will serve without seeking reward? And where are the leaders who understand that power is a trust, not an entitlement? The future of this country will not be determined by policies alone. It will be determined by determination.

“It will be determined by the character of those who lead. Dr. Tutu Braithwaite showed us that one man, armed with conviction, can stand against a system and remain unbroken. He showed us that leadership is not about winning elections.

“It is about winning the trust of history. And, long after the noise of politics fades, it is that trust that endures. As we leave here today, let us not merely celebrate him.

“Let us emulate him. Each of us in our own spheres, let us commit to a higher standard of leadership, one defined not by position, not by principles, not by power, not by purpose, not by convenience, not by courage. That is the only tribute worthy of Braithwaite.

Earlier, the late Braithwaite’s daughter, Omowunmi, said: “I want to know you through stories, through public records, or through the effects of what you did.

“This event is a chance to bring those threads together. We will hear reflections, revisit moments from different periods of his life, and look at the ideas he stood for.

“The aim is simple, to bring his life back into the room between the memories of the work and the land that shaped him.”