“You do not need anybody to validate you. You are an original.”
Gatekeepers News reports that these were the words of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola at the 11th Convocation Ceremony of The Veritas University, Abuja.
Fashola while delivering the convocation lecture said, “Between the time you (the graduands) entered this school and now, the world in which you will operate has changed in many ways, not the least by a global pandemic of yet undetermined origins and by a war of choice, which is having global ramifications beyond the immediate theatre of war.
“Therefore, you must continue to learn more about your world, your country and yourself in order to better appreciate your role, and more importantly your responsibility.
Fashola encapsulated the lecture in the topic:
“Your mind, your mindset and your state of mind.”
While stating that all his education was in Nigeria, the former Governor of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria said, “my belief in this country and its promise has never changed. Nigeria remains for me a home, a place to treasure, to nurture and to protect.
“My state of mind is not to take flight to another man’s land and from there pour scorn and hate on the place of my birth. My state of mind tells me to offer my skills and deploy my energies towards improving the place I call home.
“My mindset is such that, I believe that my contributions can improve something even if it does not improve everything. My mindset tells me that greatness is not an event, it is a process to which we all have contributions to make.”
He further encouraged the graduands to focus their minds, “develop a mindset and maintain a state of mind that in every aspect of life that you believe Nigeria can do better, and that there are inherent opportunities to surpass any challenges that you may see.
“This is a mindset of positivity, a state of mind that is hopeful and a mind that refuses to surrender to negativity.”
While noting that “talk is cheap”, he explained that “talk does not fix broken things; it is a mindset of responsibility to change things, that make things better.
“A mindset of self-pity is something you must turn your back on and take responsibility for the kind of Nigeria you wish for.”
Fashola said, “The only thing that can limit you is your mind, your mindset, and your state of mind. Are you ready to settle for less when you can have more?
“Are you ready to manage bad services when you can insist the quality should be improved?
“There are a legion of examples, that have held back our people from generation to generation, please do not subscribe to them.
“An example is the one that blames our situation and developmental status on colonialism; the amalgamation of Nigeria by Lord Lugard and so on and so forth, 62 years after.
“Please quote me that I said that it is not the fact of colonialism that has held us back; rather it is our mindset.
“I see it in the most basic of things, such as when we want to register businesses, they must bear foreign names for us to feel good. It is the mindset that we must change.”
The Minister spoke further, “Our minds, your minds, our mindset, your mindset and our state of mind, and your state of mind are the unshakeable pillars upon which that future will be built.
“Think of it this way; the world listens to our music, watches our movies, uses our sportsmen and women, recruits our personnel across many fields of human endeavour and eats our food.
“Clearly my mind tells me that there is inherent value and goodness in all of these contrary to the view that our continent is the dark continent.
“I have no doubt that the world will drive our cars, use our laptops, telephones, airplanes, and much more, when we decide to make them.”
