VP Osinbajo Interacting With Young Innovative Nigerians At Civic Innovation Lab In Abuja

I'm pleased to be here in the midst of young innovators, he says as he opens Q & A session. Moderating is lyinoluwa Aboyeji

Noting the significance of technology innovations today, VP Osinbajo says if these innovations existed in his earlier days he would possibly have cut short the time it took him to rise to Prof rank, from when he started lecturing.

Talking about how he manages criticism, VP says his background as a teacher has prepared him to understand that there are a multiplicity of ideas shared by different people. "As a teacher, after preparing for class, a student at the
back of the class can just say I don't agree!

Asked about the one thing people should imbibe, he says it is integrity. "Trust-worthiness, having integrity, is how things gets done, it is how business gets done. It is not a moral issue. It is a business issue."

Q: What is the most imp lesson you ' have learnt in your current job. VP answers: It is about getting things done. Ensuring productivity. Moving from stated objectives to actual implementation. Ensuring that stuff gets done.

According to VP, what we need to do to is push self improvement for young people. We are no longer going to teach the way we use to do. We need to look at critical thinking, collaboration & move towards technology. We need to create platforms to push technology like this Civic Innovation Hub. VP continues he said we are creating innovation hubs starting with UNILAG & private sector is involved. There is need to do more. Innovators too have to be more aggressive

Challenge of your values: VP says "I
found by experience that it just pays to stick by your values. But I know we are all under pressure all around." He cited example of how people can fix their electricity meters. But we get strength in saying we are not going to do funny deals. He said no community, no country can survive on the greed of people.

On young people in govt & politics: VP says people should be able to run for office at an earlier age. I fully support that. But we should focus on capacity development and values. "l was adviser to the FG Attorney General at 31, adding there 're many young people in his office.

Transition from teaching to politics: VP says "i have always been involved in one cause or the other. Always been involved in pressure group type activism. So for me it's more a continum rather than transition. I found that all of what you learn is useful as you go along in life.

For instance he continues: "Talking about campaigns: I use to share Christian tracts in the market, and people will abuse you, and say 'go away, you want us to come to your church." So campaigning is not new to me."

Source: Laolu Akande