 It is a very special privilege and honour for me to celebrate the dedication of this book, The Challenges of Good Governance in Nigeria, in honour of no less a personage than a true icon of Nigerian politics, a leader of impeccable integrity, and a consistent practitioner and advocate of good governance, Chief B.C. Akonde, Baba B.C. Akonde. Permit me to speak for a few minutes on the importance of this event in the maws and traditions of our political tendency. I have titled my comments the value of introspection. A tradition of our political tendency is that of introspection or reflection. By our tendency, I refer to that established by Papa Obafemi Awolo, which in spite of its various iterations and versions we all agree to describe as progressive politics. Awolo in his lifetime reflected extensively on the Nigerian political economy and all that surrounded it. He did so in several books and speeches. He reflected on federalism, on fiscal policy within a federal state. He took positions on ideology and its place in the politics of development. He wrote and spoke extensively on public finance. He concerned himself with the solutions to poverty and misery of the majority of the Nigerian people in his day because he subjected himself to the discipline and rigor of writing down his thoughts and because that had to be logical and well thought through, his views have endured through the decades and we can use his ideas in contemporary governance. So deep reflection is crucial in political leadership and it is the difference between transformational leadership and the banner. So we are able to understand why Awolo thought it fit to spend 41% of the budget of the Western region at the time on education. Why he believed that the misery and wretchedness of the human condition is first on account of an undeveloped mind, a mind that is not formally tutored. A tutored mind, Awolo believed would unleash the potential in the mind, the body and the spirit. So he understood the process of education as one of on shackling of the three fold components of the human being. Indeed as if to underscore the point of the primacy of deep thought in the life of a leader or in the content of leadership. He titled in 1973 lecture at the Aki Sentenary Hall in Abekuta using the following scriptural words and I quote, as a man thinketh, so he is, as a man thinketh, so he is. Anyone who has paid attention to Chief Bisya Konde and his political life will notice that he also observes that tradition of documenting his thoughts on governance, on the responsibilities of those who govern. So you may have come across books like his books like A Fresh Start in Ocean State, Moving Ocean State to Prosperity, the publications of his, The Inner Minds, the Drama of Fate, et cetera, where he reflects on the challenges of subnational governance and his prescriptions based on his own experiences. The deeply reflective style endures and always endures and ensures that he always provides that personal human dance of fate and circumstances that attend the human effort in politics. A major benefit to society of the individual reflection of his leaders is that they are able to explain complex ideas with their own peculiar wisdom and expression. So in trying to define the phrase that we use so often and we all seem to know what it is without defining it, that phrase progressive politics or governance, Baba simplifies it as a teacher and I'll quote him. He says, in quote, in progressive governance, you don't think of yourself at all. You don't think of building additional houses, buying new cars or things like that. You think of how you can spread education to your people, how to make health services generally available to your people, how to improve employment, enhance the environment and things like that. That is the purpose of progressive governance, end of quote. Simple, simple, explained like a teacher but profound. The tradition of converting the birthdays and celebrations of our leaders to moments of reflection is an important one and I urge that our tendency continues to do so. I was privileged to speak on the subject of reforming our electoral laws at Chief BC Acondace's 70th birthday. How time flies. Every year, since 2008, we devote the 29th of March, Ashwajibola Tinubu's birthday to the Bola Tinubu Colloquium where we take as deep a dive as a one-day event will allow into matters of importance in governance of our political economy. It is the duty of leadership to continue to reflect, to write, to debate the rigor of our thoughts and ideas and the discipline of execution that is what will lift our people from ignorance and misery to wealth and prosperity. So I commend the organizers of this event and in particular the author, my learned colleague, Mr. Aulushi Adetomi Esquire, for keeping to that uplifting tradition of using and devoting the birthday celebrations of our leaders to reflection and introspection on our nation and its affairs. I also congratulate Baba Kodil on one more honor and there are several more to come and for allowing us to use his prodigious reputation again as an opportunity for reflection. I pray that you see many more good years, many more great years in health and joy and that you will see your dream of a great Nigeria in your own lifetime in Jesus' mighty name. God bless you all. Thank you. Give a very standing ovation. Come round of applause for his excellency, the number two citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thank you very much indeed, your excellency. Thank you so much.