*Says 64th anniversary of the nation’s Independence Day an opportunity for stock-taking
By; JABIRU A. HASSAN, Kano
Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub has called on Nigerians to continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders across the country, saying it is by so doing, that these leaders are encouraged to give their best to their various constituencies.
Buba, who stated the above on Tuesday, in Abuja, in message to mark this year’s National Day celebration, also congratulated President Tinubu, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, leaders of the National Assembly, the Judiciary as well as all Nigerians on this year’s commemoration of the nation’s Independence Day.
He added that the 64th Anniversary of the nation’s Independence Day was yet another opportunity to take stock of how we have fared as a nation these past years and to project into the future to envision what landmark achievements we hope to make in the years to come.
He said the life of every nation-state is measured in thousands of years and, therefore,concluded that with just 64 years of taking over power from our colonial forbears Nigeria has visible reasons to celebrate.
“I am mindful of the fact that it is always so common to compare ourselves with other nations of the world who neither share a commonality with our size nor our diversity.But a factual analysis of our peculiarities, like demography, plurality of religions and diversity of ethnicities will reveal to us that there is no nation across the globe that possesses our uniqueness as a nation.
“With almost 250 million individuals and over 300 ethnic nationalities that speak even over 400 languages, we must understand that this uniqueness as a nation confers on us certain advantages and even disadvantages.
“The ability of our people to consciously navigate what are,usually, considered our fault lines tells how far we can achieve as a nation.
“We must, therefore ,always strive to manage this, if we must realize the seeds of greatness that are embedded in these diversities.
“For me,this year’s National Day celebration is another opportunity to take stock,to really see how far we have come, and to project where we hope to be in the next ten, twenty, thirty or fifty years’ time.
“While some have argued that we are not where we ought to be ,it remains a matter of personal conjectures to say where we ought to have been.Nigeria at 64 remains a success story,no matter how anyone looks at it.
“And given the fact that we have seen and known how the absence of peace and the presence of violence can be a serious limiting factor in the development process of a nation,I urge us to commit ourselves,our faith and our tribe to everything that builds peace.Development will naturally succeed peace.
“I also call on us to, at all times, support our leaders wherever we find ourselves.Experience across the globe has shown that development occurs seamlessly whenever leaders are tacitly supported by those they lead.Examples abound everywhere ,including Singapore,China and even Rwanda here in Africa.
“I wish us all a fun-filled celebration. Happy Independence Day Anniversary, Nigerians.”
