Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that effective leadership demands courage and difficult decisions, saying those unwilling to make tough choices have no business governing.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja.
"Leadership means walking the talk. Leadership is about taking tough decisions. And leadership is not meant for nice men. Nice men should be selling chocolates, ice cream," he said.
The Vice President also pushed back against frequent comparisons between Nigeria and smaller, faster-growing African economies, arguing that population size made such comparisons misleading.
"People celebrate Rwanda. I adore Paul Kagame. People talk about Seychelles. Yes, the economy has turned the corner," he said, before adding context.
"What is the population of Botswana? Not more than Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos. What is the population of Seychelles? Not more than two wards in Kano metropolis.
"What is the population of Rwanda? The population of Rwanda is about half the population of Lagos State. So numbers count. Take it or leave it, Nigeria is a great nation," he said.
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Shettima also called on Nigerians to return to the country's agricultural roots, noting that farming once underpinned the national economy and remained a critical source of employment.
"We began as an agrarian economy and the foundation of this nation was laid upon it. Let us remember that our agricultural heritage has provided hope to the hopeless. It has provided jobs for a mass of humanity," he said.
The Vice President also revealed that representatives of one of Malaysia's leading oil palm producers had recently visited his office alongside their Nigerian partners to discuss a $500 million investment in Nigeria's oil palm sector, with plans to begin on 10,000 hectares in Akwa Ibom State.
He commended Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno for his immediate response when contacted about the investment.
"They came to my office with their Nigerian counterpart. I called the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno.
"He picked the phone and these are people who are willing to invest $500 million in oil palm.
"They will start with 10,000 hectares in Akwa Ibom. He said, 'Let them come and start work at once.' This is leadership," Shettima said.
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