The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said Nigeria has come a long way and has surmounted many challenges in the past 60 years, noting that “things are going to get better.”
In a goodwill message to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary, the Speaker eulogised and paid glowing tributes to Nigeria’s heroes, who made sacrifices for the country to become what it is today.
Amidst myriad of challenges, Gbajabiamila said, Nigerians are the ones that will save the country and help her to attain lofty heights.
“We all love our country Nigeria. Yet the truth is that our country has not always lived up to our expectations, and sometimes, it is hard not to be overcome by despair about the fact of where we are and the perils on the horizon. I want you to know that things are going to get better.
“I hold in my heart the abiding truth that there is nothing wrong with our country that cannot be fixed by what is right about our country – and there is nothing more righteous about Nigeria than its people.
“We are the ones who will save ourselves to attain the lofty heights of our national anthem and make for our children a nation where peace and justice reign.”
Saying that the tribulations faced in the past could have been enough to end the Nigerian project, Gbajabiamila said “Yet, here we are, still striving with determination and passion, to meet and exceed the lofty promises of our nationhood.
“Today, on our nation’s 60th Independence Anniversary, this is what we celebrate – our indomitable spirit, our collective determination to triumph against all the odds.
“We also celebrate our nation’s heroes; citizens of every tongue, tribe, and creed, who have stepped up to serve their communities, to help our country be better, to protect our land and keep us safe.
“We remember the men and women of our nation’s armed forces who are engaged in the various theatres of battle, defending our territory, and protecting our way of life. We remember their families at home. And we say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
“We remember the warriors who have given their lives in service of the homeland – soldiers, doctors, and nurses – heroes all. From the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them and their sacrifice, and honour their memory to the end of all eternity.
“We celebrate also, the ordinary heroes of our lives – parents who each day make enormous sacrifices to give their children a better life than they have had; public servants who do their duty with dedication and integrity; young people who are working hard to make our country better, using technology to design solutions that improve our lives by solving problems of health care access and financial inclusion, public infrastructure and access to quality education,” he said.
The Speaker said Nigeria is on a forward march to greatness and would not turn back, no matter the obstacles encountered.
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