The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend warned that, prioritising quota over merit in ascending leadership positions could be counter-productive and bring about mediocrity in any given society.

He then agitated for meritorious pattern of ascending leadership positions.

Osinbajo argued that, no nation survives and attains greatness by giving consideration to quota over merit and clamoured for merit.

“Merit and not quota should be the first consideration in any position; anywhere in the world, it is always merit and later quota,” he said.

“Many of Nigerian youths and the new generation do not have knowledge of the great past of Nigeria and the path towards greatness as being conceived by the nation’s founding fathers, they have enmeshed in what I term ‘existential hopelessness,’” he said.

According to the number two citizen, the three founding fathers of Nigeria, namely: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Al  haji Ahmadu Bello, were characters of different backgrounds with conflicting ideas of how best the country could be run but implicitly agreed on the Nigeria’s indivisibility and propensity for growth and development.

Osinbajo, who, however, affirmed that, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would continue to wage monumental war against corrupt individuals in the public service, argued that, “corruption is presently fighting back and has started pointing accusing fingers”, as he reiterated the administration’s resolve to “fight on without hesitation”.

The governor of Osun State, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, at the event, charged the management of the state university and all stakeholders in the education sector, to ensure that incessant disruptions in the university calendar are done away with.

He stressed also that the state government has so far demonstrated its commitment to rebuilding and repositioning education in the state, especially through improved funding of the sector.

While congratulating the graduands, the governor tasked them to pursue things that could help to effect change and bring about positive impacts on the nation’s economy.

“I congratulate the graduands here today for the successful completion of their programmes and graduation. They are young men and women who have been baked in the best tradition of Uniosun and whose lives and accomplishments hold great promise for the state, Nigeria, and the world,” he said.