Nigeria at 53: Better Days Ahead, Leaders Promise

Senate President David Mark
•Obama, Putin felicitate with Nigerians
Our Correspondents
Notwithstanding its challenges, Nigeria
remains a great nation with promises of a
better tomorrow for its people, top political
office holders said yesterday in their
messages to commemorate the 53rd
independence anniversary of the country.
Senate President David Mark, House of
Representatives Speaker, Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal, Deputy Senate President,
Senator Ike Ekweremadu and governors
therefore called on Nigerians not to despair
of the trying times the nation is passing
through.
According to them, better days are ahead
as Nigeria, with the support of its leaders
and their followers, will overcome its
challenges to realise its potential as a great
nation.
United States President Barack Obama and
his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin,
also felicitated with Nigeria on its 53rd
anniversary, and expressed hope of better
ties between Nigerian and both nations in
the years ahead.
Mark, in his message, said even though
Nigeria was yet to realise all its dreams, the
fact that it had recorded some landmark
achievements could not be ignored.
The Senate president in a statement by his
Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, said:
“Besides the infrastructure developments
across the country, we now have skilled
and qualified manpower in virtually all
fields of human endeavour.”
He implored Nigerians to renew their hopes
and faith in the capacity to rise to
internationally acceptable standards of
living and sought their support and
cooperation in the task of nation building.
“All of us may not be good doctors, good
lawyers, good writers or good engineers,
but we can all contribute our quotas where
we have comparative advantages to make
our country a better place.
“We must therefore strive to harness our
human and material resources in a way and
manner that would engender development
in all ramifications,” he added.
Mark, while lamenting the challenges of
insecurity facing the nation, canvassed for
a review of the strategy with a view to
ending the menace.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria would
overcome all these challenges, but added
that there must be justice to all,
irrespective of ethnic, religious or political
leanings, fairness and equitable
distribution of national resources.
“One thing is certain that no matter the
misgivings, all Nigerians have come to
accept that one united, indivisible nation is
far better than a fragmented one.
Therefore it becomes incumbent on all of
us to do our utmost best honestly to make
the project Nigeria work,” he said.
Tambuwal, in his message, urged Nigerians
not to allow the present challenges
confronting the nation affect their
determination to foster unity, peace and
reconciliation among one another.
The speaker, in a statement by his Special
Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam
Imam Imam, called on all Nigerians to work
tirelessly to promote the tenets of
democracy, good governance and
responsible citizenry.
He appealed to the political elite to
moderate their utterances and be mindful
of their responsibility to the country.
He said with elections scheduled for 2015,
all leaders must lay emphasis on executing
the mandates given to them by Nigerians,
by not heating up the polity through
unnecessary politicking when it not yet time
for such endeavours.
He reiterated his earlier call that the people
must isolate and expose all obstacles that
hamper the attainment of peace,
development, and progress of the nation.
While congratulating Nigerians on the
country’s 53rd independence anniversary,
Tambuwal restated the commitment of the
House to uphold the ideals of a united
Nigeria, to enable it take its rightful place in
the comity of nations.
On his part, Ekweremadu in a statement by
his Special Adviser, Media, Uche
Anichukwu, urged Nigerians to keep praying
for the nation to attain its potential.
He said the present challenges confronting
the country would not stop its march
towards greatness.
“We have no doubt faced challenges living
up to the promises we held at
independence; we might have missed
opportunities but we are also overcoming
our challenges.
“I call on all Nigerians to join the present
crusade to reinvent and transform Nigeria;
and in this wise, I urge hope, courage,
perseverance, prayers, reconciliation,
peaceful co-existence and patriotic fervour
to build the Nigeria of our dreams as no
one else would do that for us,” he said.
Also, Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon.
Emeka Ihedioha, urged Nigerians to remain
optimistic about the nation’s future, which
he said remained bright in spite of
challenges of national development.
Ihedioha, in a message to mark the 53rd
independence anniversary, called on
Nigerians to know that it is only their
determination that will enable the country
overcome its challenges.
“Let us not despair in the face of daunting
challenges even though at 53, we ought to
have surpassed certain minimum
expectations. Nigeria remains ours to build
and we must continue to maintain hope
and optimism.
“Nigeria will achieve her destiny and realise
the lofty dreams of our founding fathers if
we keep an attitude of resilience and
determination to succeed,” he said.
Obama, in his congratulatory message
issued yesterday by US Secretary of State,
John Kerry, said: “A warm friendship
connects the Nigerian and American
people, reflecting our shared values of
democracy, economic growth, security, and
respect for human rights and the rule of
law.
“Our partnership is strong because of our
people, as the proverb tells us, if you want
to go quickly go alone. If you want to go
far go together.”
He added that in the coming years, the US
would be looking forward to going further
with Nigeria as the country expands
education, jobs and opportunity for its
people.
“On the 53rd anniversary of your
independence, I wish all Nigerians a safe
and prosperous future,” the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) reported the US president
as stating.
Putin, in his goodwill message to his
Nigerian counterpart, Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan, and Nigerians, felicitated with
them on the celebration of Nigeria’s 53rd
independence anniversary.
Putin, in his message, a copy of which was
made available to THISDAY by the Russian
Embassy in Abuja, expressed hope that the
ties between the two nations would
continue to grow.
“Distinguished Mr. President, please accept
my sincere congratulation on the occasion
of the national day of your country —
Independence Day.
“I am confident that the relations between
Russia and Nigeria, based on the principles
of friendship and mutual respect, will keep
on developing actively in all main directions
for the benefit of our peoples and will
contribute to stability and security in the
African continent,” Putin said.
Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, in
his message, called on Nigerians to show
more commitment to national development.
According to him, this is necessary so that
the country can overcome the political and
security challenges facing it.
He said: “Nigeria holds a great dream for
all of us, and we should endeavour to build
on the contributions of our founding
fathers. When the leadership as well as
followership, each compelled by love of
country discharges its responsibility to the
state, Nigeria will take its pride of place
among the comity of nations.
“Notwithstanding the problems of nation-
building, which we may be grappling with
at the moment, the Nigerian spirit is alive
and should continue to be nourished as the
vehicle of our national journey.”
He urged support for the anti-graft war and
stressed the need to redress imbalances in
some aspects of the nation’s life.
Obi’s counterpart in Rivers State, Mr.
Chibuike Amaechi, called for national
cohesion and true democracy as the
country marks its 53rd Independence Day
anniversary.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary,
Mr. David Iyofor, the Rivers governor said
democracy could only thrive when the
people live in peace and unity and leaders
show true leadership and statesmanship in
line with democratic tenets.
“No democracy can grow in the face of
unending conflicts and in the midst of
impunity.
“Nigeria is one country in spite of our
varying cultures, religion and ethnic
nationalities; and we can only succeed as a
nation if we stand united,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to shelve their anger,
put away strife and work together to
promote peace and development.
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun
Mimiko, also preached hope to Nigerians as
the nation marks its 53rd independence
anniversary today.
The governor, in a statement by the state
Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode
Akinmade, urged Nigerians to rally round
their leaders to ensure that the nation's
unity is not compromised.
Mimiko acknowledged that the nation's
unity is its strength and everything should
be done to safeguard it.
He seized the occasion to reiterate the
commitment of his administration to
implementing policies that will enhance the
welfare of the people.
He explained that he has tried to keep faith
with the pact he made with them at the
outset of his second tenure that he would
work for them, as he did during his first
term.
“We must work together like partners in
progress to bring to fruition the Ondo State
of our dream.
“While the government under my
leadership is prepared to do all within its
power to move Ondo State to the next
level, I enjoin the well-meaning citizenry to
join me in this onerous task. This is the
only way that we can be successful,” he
said.
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle
Amosun, also called on Nigerians to unite
for the development of the country.
He urged all citizens to keep hope alive and
live in peace with one another so that the
country could overcome its challenges.
A statement by the governor’s Senior
Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Funmi
Wakama, said Nigeria had reasons to
appreciate God despite its current
challenges.
He said all the developed countries of the
world had surmounted one difficulty or the
other during their journey to nationhood
and Nigeria, like them, would overcome its
challenges too.
“With single-minded commitment, hard
work and sincerity of purpose, we can make
our country great,” the Ogun governor,
said.

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