Osinbajo urges investment in security, rule of law

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday called on African countries to adequately invest in institutions that enhance their capacity to provide security and ensure justice and the rule of law. He spoke in Abuja at a lecture organized by The Kukah Centre with the theme, “How to make democracy work for Africa.”

Osinbajo said though democratization was challenge almost everywhere in the world, that of Africa was because of historic failure to invest sufficiently in nation and state building.

According to him, many of the ethnic and other tensions that create insecurity and outright conflict are largely on account of failure to deliberately undertake nation building efforts.

“The elite, it appears, prefer the status quo, which sets the lowest possible bar for political advancement. The real issues that concern our people are often diminished; good governance, job creation for young people, poverty alleviation, peace and security.

“Those are never properly analyzed or even allowed to take prominence in public debate, especially in debates leading to elections,” he said.

On state building, Osinbajo said extreme inequality, weak systems of justice, absence of rule of law and lack of state capacity to maintain law and order, put nations constantly under a real threat.

“You find that we have anti-corruption war but question remains as to how many people have been convicted. But the system can easily be manipulated.”

He, however, stressed that strong institution that people can trust is the most crucial issue in making democracy work in Africa