By Yemi Osinbajo

I believe in community. Community carries culture. Community ensures that the individual thrives anywhere.

Community fosters social participation, but more importantly, community self regulates.

When we see Nigerians all over the world, we catch sight of external lofty exploits, underlining an interior of creative ingenuity, respect, hard work, grit, determination and enormous courage.

However, for some reason, the negative variant of these attributes seems to be forever pinned on us, and this in turn impairs the perception of us that the world encounters.

I know and believe that Nigerians are an asset to where ever they are. We are respectful and we contribute to the culture.

We say no to anyone painting us with a broad brush based on the actions of a few people, but our communities everywhere must also rise to the occasion and self-regulate where possible.

The task of building our country must not be left to the government alone.

Every citizen and community, inside and outside the country, must help to ensure that they do not contribute to the negative stereotypes that have developed about our country.

This formed the crux of my interaction with the vast Nigerian community in Canada yesterday, as a part of my 3-day visit to the country.

@views exclusive rights: Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President, Nigeria, November 22, 2022.