Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to take active roles in politics, describing it as the most effective way to influence national leadership and shape the country’s future. Speaking in Lagos at the 2nd Annual Daniel Taiwo Odukoya Memorial Lecture, Osinbajo encouraged especially young people and Christians to stop standing on the sidelines.
Addressing the audience at The Fountain of Life Church, he described politics as a platform often misunderstood but necessary for genuine transformation. He said politics may have earned a bad name globally, but it remains the only way to decide who leads and what policies shape society. “If you don’t participate, you lose the right to complain about bad leadership,” he said.
Osinbajo stressed the need for proper preparation before entering politics. Passion, he noted, is not enough. He advised aspiring leaders to build knowledge by reading widely, especially about how governance works in health, education, and economics. He warned that those who go into politics unprepared often achieve nothing.
He also reminded Christians that leadership should reflect their values. He urged believers to live by principles such as integrity, humility, and service, warning against turning the gospel into mere motivational talks or prosperity messages. According to him, true Christian leadership must focus on justice, charity, and accountability—both in the church and in government.
Sharing his own story, Osinbajo said he didn’t own a house until he was 51 and only drove a new car in 1998, long after graduating. He used this to show that public service should not be about personal gain, but about purpose.
He concluded by saying that Nigeria still has a chance to turn things around, but it depends on informed, principled citizens stepping forward. He pointed to how societies in the West and parts of Asia saw progress after embracing values rooted in biblical principles.
Dr. Tobi Enuwa, daughter of the late Pastor Odukoya, in her welcome address, said her father believed in combining spiritual and civic leadership. She praised his commitment to encouraging Christians to contribute to national development.
