At THISDAY/Arise Group Special Independence Celebration…

Buhari, Others Preach Unity, Hope Despite Challenges

•Policymakers, business leaders predict bright future for Nigeria

Our Correspondents

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday led a pack of notable Nigerians and foreign dignitaries to celebrate Nigeria at a global virtual commemoration of the nation’s diamond jubilee, organised by THISDAY ARISE Group.

The event, lasting over six hours, was a medley of speeches, music and fashion show.
It was a virtual celebration produced and broadcast from Lagos, Abuja and London, but staged in various cities around the world and streamed to a global audience on ARISE Play, ARISE NEWS CHANNEL, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, among others.
The global virtual commemoration of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary was powered by Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Polaris Bank and Bet9ja, among others.

Buhari and others who featured on the programme reviewed how far the nation had come since independence in 1960, and called for national unity for an assured bright future.
Business leaders and policymakers who featured in the global virtual commemoration also predicted better days ahead for the country, despite the current challenges.
The messages had a common theme of admission of difficulties and challenges, while acknowledging evident progress and a determination by the government and the people to make further progress.

The message of hope was captured by Buhari, who said: “We must salute the courage and painstaking efforts of our founding fathers to bequeath a country of great promises. We also pay tribute to all those who in search for a better Nigeria made supreme sacrifices with their lives. Our diamond age is by no means a small achievement. The vagaries of life’s journey, are often filled with great dangers necessitating the effectiveness of consistent innovations and creativity, to be able to manage our individual ambition and destination in many ways, and to maximise the collective benefits of our common humanity.”
The president stated that Nigeria’s journey in the last 60 years was with daunting challenges, culminating in the civil war.

“Our politics, and our collective inability dread above several of our fault lines have been critical and fundamental to Nigeria’s imperfect journey in the last 60 years. Some of these concerns and indeed challenges of independence, remain regrettably, so even today. As we mentioned, this does not in any way diminish the achievements of our country.
“In the last 60 years, the fact remains, however, that none of our challenges has impacted more negatively. As we celebrate this diamond age today, we must never lose sight of the untravelled route to Nigeria’s manifest destiny. We offer this to millions of our people who have continued to invest hopes and huge expectations in their leaders and national elites. We also owe this to Africa and the black race, to enhance the dignity and self esteem of the black people throughout the world,” he added.

Buhari seized the occasion to highlight some of the achievements of his administration.
He said: “Since my assumption of office as president of this country, nearly five-and-a-half-years ago, our administration has tried to place its hands on some of our initial challenges. Namely, security, rejigging of our economy through diversification and taming the cancer that pervades the corruption in our national life has become. While we won on several fronts, it is work in progress in several other areas. As a government, we shall recommit ourselves in order to reset our five ways for a new Nigeria. “Attainment of this would undoubtedly require a commitment and collaboration of our countrymen and women to remain resolute in their beliefs, for that new Nigeria, that assures of our greatness together, and not a smaller needs.”

Earlier, while introducing the president before he delivered his statement, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY Newspapers and ARISE Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, had said the president promised a legacy by political reform; economic reform beginning with the regulation and reducing inequality in the economy.

SGF Calls for Unity to Fast-track Growth

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, called on Nigerians to demonstrate togetherness and courage in order to return the country to its golden past.
He added that getting back to those days and getting better as a nation will depend on how the citizens imbibe the spirit of togetherness.
He noted that in the past, Nigeria achieved great feats when the people were united and had a collective thinking as one people.

“It is the collapse of living individually for the collective and living collectively for the individual that has largely been responsible for our present state,” he said.
The SGF stated that the support of individuals, the private sector, communities and religious leaders, traditional rulers and all Nigerians will be required for the country to achieve its goals.

Saraki Seeks More Commitment to Youth Development

The immediate past President of the Senate and former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, focused his address on Nigerian youths
He said: “Today, If one looks at things from the perspective of young people, one might be forgiven to conclude that the promise has largely remained unfulfilled. Today, providing for the basic welfare of our young people is a challenge. Why do I focus on young people? Simply because they are our future. It is they who in 40 years’ time will be the august individuals celebrating our centenary independence anniversary. Indeed, the greatest resource this great country has today is, to my mind, our dynamic, resourceful, and ebullient young people who presently constitutes more than 50 per cent of the population. So, numerically speaking, the country is already theirs.”

Saraki then proposed a solution to ensure the future greatness of Nigeria.
According to him, the Nigeria of the dreams of its people can be guaranteed “if we establish the foundation for a future in which our youths can drive Nigeria forward, we definitely will have a strong chance of rebuilding our country. Then, we can perhaps at long last realise the dreams of our founding fathers. The issues of security, underdevelopment, lack of unity and the negative forces which propel the recent surging demand for the disintegration of our country cannot be defeated if we fail to advance the right capacity building and utilisation policies and programmes for Nigeria’s youths.”

We’ve Made Progress Despite Challenges, Says Fayemi

In his contribution, the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, noted that over the years, Nigeria had grappled with difficult challenges, some of which seemed certain to break the ties that bind the country.
“We have overcome a depressing civil war, disruptions of our democratic systems, painful recessions, and horrible epidemics. None of these, however, could break the resilient Nigerian spirit. We have had long periods of sunshine too – the times when we are deliriously happy and proud to be Nigerian”.

“We face many challenges today, but they are temporary and we shall rise above them in that typical Nigerian way. Our problems shall not define us and they will definitely not break us. The emasculating influence of poverty, insecurity, social imbalances and sectional discontent, have ensured that Nigerians have not come to appreciate our country dearly. Yes, there are ample reasons to be dissatisfied with our seeming inability to turn our huge potential to visible success. “True, we are not where we ought to be. But the irony of the Nigerian story is that while her inadequacies are apparent to all, her progress is difficult to ignore either. To suggest that Nigerian has not made progress is to declare that the works of her heroes and heroines are in vain.

“Without a doubt, we have a long way to go and we still have many challenges. But history teaches us that the nation building project is a journey and not a destination. But it is a journey that is the collective responsibility of all of us. We must continue to work towards a more perfect union, correcting impediments to progress, adjusting the gaps in the system and believing that Nigeria is more than the sum of its parts. In the words of Alfred Tennyson in his poem Ulysses, we must continue to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”

Okowa Urges Nigerians to Shun Divisiveness

In his address, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, implored Nigerians to shun any form of division.
“I encourage all of us to stand firm, resilient and shun all forms of divisive tendencies. The times we live in call for unshakeable faith, courage, and optimism and our ability to build a country of our collective dream and become the envy of other nations.
“Yes! It has no been an easy journey by any stretch of the imagination. There have been trees and turns and sometimes it appears we are headed for the precipe, but by God’s merciful intervention, we are managed to stay the course.

“It is not debatable that we are yet to fully realised our collective aspirations as a united prosperous country, where primordial loyalty and sentiments have subsumed under an all-embracing national etho of patriotism, commitment, honesty, integrity and justice.
“Nevertheless, we must appreciate the progress we have made. I believe we can be proud of how far we have come as a country.
“Yes! We are not where we think we should be, but the truth also is that we are no longer where we used to be. Most importantly now, democracy has come to stay in our country.”

Let’s Keep Hope Alive, Says el-Rufai

On his part, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, challenged Nigerians to use the occasion of the 60th Independence anniversary to keep hope alive and ensure that in the next 60 years Nigeria will be a better place for all.
According to him, every Nigerian has the capability to be better than what he or she wants to be in a nation where the promotion of merit and the rule of law are encouraged.

The governor called for the promotion of rule of law and focus on a new national discourse where merit takes pre-eminence over the various diversity issues.
El-Rufai who used Kaduna State as a case study, said reforms are ongoing in the state to ensure that poverty does not stop a child from acquiring a good education.
He explained that there are reforms that will create employment through new investment policies in the state.
The governor added that there are reforms in health sector and the promotion of merit in the state, which he described as work in progress.

Sanwo-Olu: Nigeria Growing Stronger

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said despite the country’s challenges, “the good thing is that even in our diversity, there is strength in our unity and that Nigeria has continued to grow stronger.”
He identified of the most crucial priorities of his government as the creation of enabling environment for the youth to attain their individual potential.
He stated that normalcy was beginning to return to Lagos after months of travail from health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that his administration recognised the critical role of the youth in the future development of the country and will create opportunities for them to achieve their goals.
He said that the state government would strive to maintain the prime position of Lagos State as the nation’s commercial and economic nerve centre.
“We feel a sense of responsibility to ensure that Lagos remained home for everyone that comes here to do genuine business. Lagos remains the centre of excellence in the country and we all continue to create that enabling environment,” he stated.

Amina Mohammed Pledges UN Commitment to Nigeria’s Development

Nigeria’s international diplomat and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Amina Mohammed, promised that the UN will continue to accompany Nigeria, in its quest to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and a future deserved by all Nigerians.
According to her, Nigeria missed it when it failed to develop the rural areas.
She said: “My humble reflection is the missed opportunity of investing in our local level of government, where our communities and our people, the diamonds in the rough, reside. My hope is that we will find it in ourselves to rise up against what divides us and look for the strands and the fabric of nature that bind us together; that we find the wisdom and the courage to embark upon a new journey of discovery that will see the young people of this great nation shape its future. That we may all rise to our aspirations in peace, in unity in dignity and respect for each other, leaving no one behind.”

Ex-minister, Akinyemi, Recalls Good Old Days

A former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, recalled a Nigeria where people like him who studied abroad were offered citizenship on platters of gold.
He said: “We preferred to come back home. Because we believed in the Nigerian dream. And why not?”
He painted a picture of Nigeria at independence where there were more television services than some European countries had.
“We had world recognised teaching hospitals. We had the world recognised airlines, we had the world recognised shipping lines. Some of the best brains in the world were Nigerians. We were called the African Giant and we believed it. Our vision was for Nigeria to reach the sky and the stars.”

Ahmed Joda Trips down Memory Lane

A retired Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industries, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, shared similar sentiments as Akinyemi as he described his mood as sombre.
He recalled the historical moment the Nigerian flag was hoisted and the Union Jack flag lowered.
“I must be one of the very few Nigerians that is alive and witnessed it all… And as we celebrate this day, I feel that I need to go back memory lane, how I felt as a young Nigerian at the centre of Tafawa Balewa Square. Bright lights were dimmed, the British flag was lowered, and the green-and-white new Nigerian flag was upheld. The lights came back and the crowd went wild. That moment, Nigeria became a sovereign nation. Millions of hearts, plenty of emotions and the hopes and expectations that were ahead.”

Policymakers, Business Leaders Predict Bright Future for Nigeria

The business leaders and policymakers who featured in the global virtual commemoration predicted better days ahead for the country, despite the current challenges.
Speaking at the virtual event, Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari; the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, among others, expressed confidence in the growth of the country, despite its challenges in the last 60 years of independence.
In their goodwill messages at the THISDAY/ARISE Group event, they urged Nigerians to uphold the legacies of the founding fathers of the nation and to work collectively to develop the country.

Dangote: We Should’ve Hope in Nigeria

According to Dangote, Nigeria has challenges since independence but it has surmounted them.
“The future is great and we should have hope in our country Nigeria.
Our latest challenge is the COVID-19 pandemic, which of course is a global challenge, but the private sector, under CACOVID, rallied round the government to alleviate most of the impact that came with it. Government also did very well to alleviate some of the impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable citizens of the country.

“Nigeria as a country is blessed with arable land, good climate, mineral resources. With the population of the youths of Nigeria, the country must focus on agriculture to grow the economy.
Nigeria is for Nigerians and no one can make Nigeria great, except Nigerians,” Dangote said.
He added that in the last 20 years alone, the Dangote Group has invested over $20 billion in manufacturing, agriculture and in other areas.
“Nigeria used to import cement, but today the Dangote Group alone has over 32 million tonnes of cement. For the first time in the last 10 years, Nigeria became a net exporter of cement and by next year, Nigeria will become the largest exporter of cement in Africa, and today we are self-sufficient at home in the consumption of cement.

“Nigeria is also doing well in the growth of fertiliser, even though we still import fertiliser at the moment. By next year, Nigeria will become the largest exporter of fertiliser in Africa.
In petrol refining and petrochemical, Nigeria is producing 650,000 barrels per day in refining capacity and Nigeria is expected to become a net exporter of petroleum products by the time we complete the Dangote Refinery. “Nigeria will also be second largest in Africa in terms of petrochemical production and export,” Dangote said.

Emefiele Seeks Rededication to Make Nigeria Great

Emefiele urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to those ideals that once helped Nigeria to become a great nation.
He said the nation’s founding fathers paved the way for activities that harnessed the creativity and ingenuity of Nigerians.
“Our leaders fostered inclusive growth by investing in the areas that yielded job creation and greater economic growth.

In the past, investment in cocoa in the western region and proceeds from cocoa were used to build the famous cocoa house and educational institutions.
“In the past, Nigeria emerged the largest producer of palm oil globally, with a 43 per market share in the 1960s.
“In the northern region, we had the groundnut pyramid that provided a significant portion of Nigeria’s export revenue.
“In the light of these investments and efforts of our founding fathers, they were able to turn our dreams of a greater Nigeria into reality,” Emefiele said.
He, however, said the reliance on oil proceeds, exposed the country to the volatility caused by the drop in crude oil price in the world market, which slowed down Nigeria’s economic growth.

“The onset of COVID-19 pandemic further amplified our challenges, but out of every crisis, comes opportunities. “The 60th anniversary as an independent nation, therefore afford us of the opportunity to reflect on the journey so far, and I call on Nigerians to rededicate themselves to those ideals that once helped Nigeria to become a great nation,” Emefiele added.

Together, We Shall Prosper, Says Akinwunmi

The President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, commended Nigerians and prayed for glorious future for the country.
“Together and united, we shall thrive and we shall prosper and together we shall shine, together, we shall excel and bring honour to our land,” Adesina said.

Atedo Peterside Lauds FG over Fuel Subsidy Removal

The Founder IBTC Bank Plc and Anap Business Jets Limited, Atedo Peterside, commended the federal government for its bold decision to remove fuel subsidy, which he described as drain on the resources of Nigeria,
He noted that the greatest mistake made by past leaders was to allow subsidy to subsist until the Buhari administration finally removed it.
“I was encouraged by the president’s speech today. He was talking about fuel subsidy. That is one of the areas past successive government failed and I was happy that he admitted that he is among those who now understood and now convinced that we cannot make progress while throwing away the bulk of our resources for something we cannot afford,” he said.

Jim Ovia Lists Nigeria’s Achievements

Also in his speech, the founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, said Nigeria has achieved so much in the past 60 years in the areas of education, enterprises, entertainment and many other sectors that if the citizens put their heart together and ensure the indivisibility of the country, Nigeria will record even greater achievements.
“In 1960, when we achieved independence, there was no single private university, but today, of all the total number of universities that exist in Nigeria, about 50 per cent are privately owned. I will also recall in 1960, no single Nigerian entrepreneur or enterprise businesses were listed on London Stock Exchange but today a few of them are listed on London Stock Exchange,” Ovia said.

BUA Chairman: Together, We Can Achieve Much

The Chairman/CEO BUA Plc, Samad Ishaku-Rabiu, called for the unity of Nigeria to sustain the growth trajectory and noted that Nigerians are imbued with the spirit to succeed, adding that so much would be achieved if Nigerians come together without the current divisive tendencies.
“There was a vision of our founding fathers, a vision that I believe can be achieved. Our founding fathers have built us a nation, one that is bound in freedom, peace and unity. As citizens and leaders today, we must do all that we can to build on that vision, sustain the legacy and then pass it to the future generation,” Ishaku-Rabiu said.

Blair Optimistic about Nigeria’s Future

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, commended Nigeria for its achievements and projected that Nigeria would be one of the greatest nations on earth.
He also noted that two key problems of Nigeria are bad policies and bad governance and expressed hope that the country would overcome these challenges.

Breakup Not Solution to Nigeria’s Challenges, Says Sanusi

A former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said in 60 years of independence, the country had passed through challenges, including wars, terrorism, extremism, extreme poverty and recession.
“These are challenges that people, thought will divide Nigeria, but what we need is unity of purpose to move Nigeria forward.
“We need the right policies that will make us stronger and undivided. Those who think that dividing the country is the solution to our challenges, will soon realize that division will lead to further divisions because there will always be people who will claim they are not satisfied. It is my hope that Nigeria will have peace and develop a true national identity and see each other as brothers and sisters. It is my hope that this country will realise in my lifetime, the potential of being a truly great third world country that will rise to become one of the first world countries,” Sanusi said.

Kyari: Nigeria on Right Growth Trajectory

Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, said the national oil company is no longer operating an opaque system.
Kyari stressed that aside just releasing the audited financial statement for the 2018 financial year, the 2019 results is now ready and will be made public soon.
He noted that the company would continue to push the frontiers of transparency so as to return adequate dividends to its shareholders.
He stated that though there are lots of negativities in the country, the positives far outweigh the negatives for Nigeria at 60 and expressed the hope that Nigeria is on the right trajectory under the present administration.

According to him, in the last 30 to 40 years the NNPC has provided enormous resources from oil, adding that under the Buhari government, the political interference that bedeviled the corporation in the past no longer exists.
He added that with the current spirit of accountability pervading the corporation, the NNPC is set to survive the next 40 years and transform the country’s economic story.
0″We have delivered on everything we said we will do. In the last 43 years, nobody cared about accountability to shareholders, but we have done the books for 2018 and we are ready with the one for 2019″ he said.

Nigeria Remains Strong Nation, Says Okonjo-Iweala

A former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said despite its challenges, Nigeria has remained a strong nation.
“Our country has known many turbulent times. We have gone through wars, economic recessions, terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout it all, we have come out strong resilient and optimistic. Even when times are hard, Nigerians are known never to give up.
“I salute this spirit of optimism exuberance, innovation and creativity. I salute our young people who embodied these attributes. No matter how tough the times are, I know Nigeria and Nigerians would overcome. My own love for our country and the pride I have in being Nigerian would never disappear or dissipate. I hope you cherish your own love for our country,” she stated.

GTBank CEO Hopeful of Better Future

Managing Director and CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Olusegun Agbaje, stated that despite the negative reports about Nigeria around the world, the country remains the world’s best kept secret.
He said with the vibrant youths who form 60 per cent of the population and the untapped natural resources, the next 60 years will be better for Nigeria.

According to him, “I will like to start by congratulating all of us who come from this very special nation. The amazing things and the very strange and weird thing about Nigeria is that when read all the reports that you hear about Nigeria from different part of the world, what tends to have the most noise are all the negative things but I won’t bother to talk about those today because we have all read them and we know them. When you arrive in Nigeria, as you come through the airport, the first thing that hits you is the energy in the country and as you drive from the airport, to those who are very discerning and observing, what you notice is what I like to refer to as Nigeria’s most valuable resource.

“For those who don’t know Nigeria well I will like to say that Nigeria is the best kept secret in the world. For those who are artist, what they will see is a blank canvass, for those who are writers, what you see is a white page. The most valuable resource in this country is our population, that population of 200 million people that you see places us around the seventh largest nation in in the world.”

Wigwe Calls for Reflection on Nigeria’s Future

On his part, the Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, Mr Herbert Wigwe, called on Nigerians to reflect on the future of the country.
Nigerians, he added, have succeeded in many fields of human endeavour, stressing, however, that there is so much more work to be done
“I want to congratulate all Nigerians and I think as Nigerians it is time for us to reflect on our future and the future of our great country. It is a time to celebrate but more importantly it is also a time to reflect on several Nigerians and our leadership who have brought us to where we are today. It is often said that you are only as weak as you are divided but as strong as you are united.
“I think today is also a time for us to reflect on national unity, national security and a day for all of us as Nigerians to make a full commitment to ourselves that we will work together to make our country the greatest country in the continent,” he said.

Nigeria, Beacon of Hope for Africa, Says Zenith Bank CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, described Nigeria as the beacon of hope for the black race.
The Zenith Bank boss said: “On this occasion of our diamond jubilee, I will like to remind us that as a people, we are known to be extremely talented, intelligent, hardworking, brilliant, dogged and we are creative. Above all, we are uniquely beautiful people.
“These are attributes that have continued to underscore the very outstanding accomplishments of our various compatriots at home and abroad. In every aspect of human endeavour, there is an indomitable Nigerian spirit you cannot break. I feel proud to be a Nigerian.
“As we all work collectively towards our desired and glorious future, I will like to urge all of us to commit to live right and do right for our dear nation, both in our closet and in the open. Let us continue to build unity out of our diversity as we work harmoniously to tap our abundant human and natural resources,” he said.

FirstBank CEO Praises Buhari

Also, the CEO, FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Adesola Adeduntan, praised Buhari, whom he said has been providing the nation with responsible leadership.
“At FirstBank, we have been here since 1894 and our emergence on the Nigerian landscape preceded the amalgamation and we were here at Independence. So, for over 126 years, our bank, FirstBank, has played a pivotal role in the overall socio-economic development of our dear country, Nigeria.
“We have been there in commerce and we have also amplified our corporate social responsibility in several areas, touching lives both at the corporate and individual levels. That is why we have said boldly that FirstBank is woven into the fabrics of the Nigerian society. In the course of 2020 and with the arrival of the COVID-19 in the country, “FirstBank has played a major role in assisting the federal government and various state governments in addressing the issues associated with COVID-19.”

BET9ja MD: Nigeria, a Blessed Nation

The Founder and Managing Director of BET9ja, Mr Ayo Ojuroye, described Nigeria as blessed with so much talent, natural resources, an endowment he stressed will make Nigeria great.
While acknowledging that the year 2020 has been tough due to the outbreak of COVID-19, he said togetherness, hard work and charitable work have helped Nigeria to overcome the challenges.
He said: “It is my honour to be wising Nigeria happy diamond anniversary. I grew up in the 70s and I have witnessed a lot of change in the fortune of the country since the time of my birth. But I have found Nigerians to be hardworking, resilient, humorous and determined. Of all of my years growing up, and having spent a significant of my adult life growing up in England, I could never be more proud to call Nigeria my home.”

More Opportunities Ahead of Us, Says Finance Minister

In her statement, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the greatest success recorded by the country till date is “our unity and our togetherness.”
She said despite the challenges, the country has had wonderful opportunities, stressing that “we do have more wonderful opportunities ahead of us to rally our people, to see our nation with a great destiny ahead”.
She said though the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted on the federal government’s revenue, it has, however, continued to invest in critical infrastructure to ensure continuous growth hinged on programmes and projects that would enhance employment of the large percentage of youths.

Ahmed said: “We are working together to forge ways and means which government revenue will be stabilised to restore adequate fiscal space to fund the federal and state governments through the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
“President Muhammadu Buhari did mandate a committee, which I chaired, to ensure that the business of government continues to run as normally as possible with government agencies considerably funded,” she added.

Onyeama: Our Best Yet to Come

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that at 60 years, the nation’s best is yet to come even as he urged Nigerians to continue to ‘stick together’ in moving the country forward.
Onyeama urged Nigerians to keep hope alive, remain resilience so as to overcome national challenges.
He observed that Nigerians as a people have a lot going for them which “we should be thankful’, adding that contrary to some opinions Nigerians have a lot to celebrate at 60.
According to him Nigeria, apart from being the largest country in Africa, also boast being the largest economy on the continent.