Osinbajo to fresh graduates: Being trustworthy is more valuable than money

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says talent, hard work, innovation, and trustworthiness are vital for success.

According to a statement by Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s spokesman, the vice president gave the advice on Saturday while delivering a lecture at the 6th convocation ceremony of Baze University, Abuja.

He told the graduands that they would soon be engaging the realities of life; the business of living by making a living. He said being trustworthy is more valuable than money because it “actually attracts money”.

“There are some timeless principles that have worked and continue to work through the years,” Osinbajo was quoted to have said.

“Permit me to share one with you, the principle of trustworthiness or integrity; in my relatively modest experience in business, professional practice and, lately, politics. I have come to realize that trust or trustworthiness is fundamental to the success of practically everything you will do in life.

“If you cannot be trusted or people can’t make up their minds whether to trust you or not, you are already on the back foot and you are unlikely to succeed.

“Trust is the currency of successful business and social interaction. It is more valuable than money because it actually attracts money.”

The vice president said the university has recorded remarkable progress since it was founded.

“While physical and numerical growth has been in leaps and bounds, so has been academic achievement, prolific research and the students of BAZE excelling in the market place and scholarships all over the world,” Osinbajo said.

“But BAZE’s story is also the story of the tenacity, innovativeness, and commitment to the education of its founder, visioner and Pro-Chancellor, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, who in 2011, at the tender age of 41 years, established this university.

“His hard work and innovation continue to push this place of inquiry and learning to greater heights. I am, of course, especially partial to the University because your vice-chancellor is a lawyer and as we all know lawyers make the best administrators!”

Commending the university’s lecturers, Osinbajo said the responsibility of mediating the thoughts and ideas of the present and coming generations lies in their hands.