By Shina Badmus
The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yomi Osinbajo on his official visit to Delta state on Friday, July 12, where he commissioned some roads, commended the state for its peaceful ambience.
He extolled the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro Gbaraun II, for building a peaceful environment in his kingdom, which he said saw to the birth of Maritime University in the area.
Osinbajo whispered the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to develop the Niger Delta and his encouragement that the Federal Government, State Government and Kingdoms in the Niger Delta should work together.
While addressing Pere, Osinbajo said, “Your Royal Highness, I want to thank you very much for the warm welcome. As you know, this is my second time in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
“I am very happy to be here, especially to commission projects that were initiated and completed by the state government.
“I promised when I last came that we will do and complete the work that we started in the Maritime University.
“Right now, the University has taken off. Several young men and women are there already. They have held their matriculation.
“This has come not just by the Federal Government own effort, but also through the very good collaboration we have had with the State Government, both the Governor and the Deputy Governor.
“You have excellently done well in building up the relationship that has led to the Maritime University.
“This kingdom is one of the highest oil producing Kingdom in the country, and there is no reason why the Kingdom should not benefit even more.
“But I want to commend you because the most important thing is peace. If there is no peace, it doesn’t help anybody; it doesn’t help the Kingdom, it doesn’t help the Delta State Government neither does it help the rest of the Country.
“So I am very happy and I want to commend you for leading your people in the path of peace and basically the path of prosperity.
“The longer we have peace, the easier it is for us to do the various things that needs to be done and there are so many things that needs to be done.
“Our people want the same thing. They want better homes for themselves, money to be able to send their children to school, money to feed themselves, many of them want to be professionals and all that.
“That should be our focus and I am very happy Your Royal Highness has spent time and resources doing precisely that. Ensuring that our people get actual benefits of all that God has given to us by way of natural resources.
“I must say that the President himself who of course is the person that asked me to come in the first place in January. He is also very committed to the new vision you people have for the Niger Delta, which is the collaboration between the Federal Government, the State Government and the Kingdoms.
“Making sure we are able to deliver the goods, social goods and all of that to this community and all other communities that not only produce oil but also produce other things that benefit our country.
“So, today, I am very pleased to be here and I want to thank you again for the very warm welcome.
“I know that Mr. President will be very pleased indeed when I tell him not only of the great progress we are seeing here but also of the peace and tranquility that you are enjoying in this place.”
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