Speaking at a prayer session organized by the Baptist Seminary in Kaduna, Rev. Hayab stated that at the age of 63, the country has not made significant strides.

He remarked, “At 63, we have not done well, we are still crawling, at 63, we do not even know what to do. There is so much insecurity, lack of growth, labour is threatening to go on strike because of poor services.”

Rev. Hayab called for a collective challenge to assess what actions should be taken to contribute to nation-building. He stressed the importance of obeying the country’s laws and urged leaders to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities towards citizens.

Additionally, Rev. Hayab encouraged Nigerians to pay their taxes, as it would enable them to hold the government accountable for providing necessary services. He emphasized that Nigerians are yearning for improvements and progress in various aspects of life.

In his assessment, Rev. Hayab lamented, “We are only giant in number but failure in most of the sectors.”

Earlier in the event, the Vice Chairman of Baptist Seminary, Kaduna, Rev. Dr. Manasseh Haruna, explained that the program was organized to celebrate Nigeria’s 63rd anniversary.

He emphasized the need to take the right steps to improve the country and move forward as a nation.

He conveyed this message on Thursday during a public lecture commemorating Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Anniversary, held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, as stated by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha.

In his address, Vice President Shettima underscored the administration’s dedication to building a nation where the economic independence of every citizen is guaranteed, thereby eliminating the need for unspecified handouts to make a living.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey, Shettima recognized the nation’s resilience over the past 63 years and the unity that has defied doomsayers.

He also stressed that the future promised to Nigerians is not merely an empty performance for electoral gains but a genuine commitment.

He emphasized that the future of a great nation is shaped by the intention, sincerity, and innovative ideas of its leaders, as well as their commitment to implementing these ideas.

To achieve progress, the Vice President highlighted the importance of delivering on promises, driving food security, eradicating poverty, fostering economic growth, nurturing job creation, facilitating access to capital, enhancing national security, and optimizing the business environment.

Vice President Shettima acknowledged the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that the strength of the nation lies in its collective faith in its ideals and the moral character of its leaders.

He emphasized the role of leadership in shaping a nation’s destiny and recognized the sacrifices made by Nigerians, which have inspired the government to focus on diverse sectors for improvement.

Vice President Shettima expressed confidence that Nigeria would emerge stronger from its current challenges.

He described the sacrifices as investments in a brighter future that would secure the well-being of current and future generations.

He called on Nigerians to choose unity over chaos and democracy over anarchy, emphasizing that their collective resolve is their most potent weapon.

Additionally, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, urged the Federal Government to consider increasing workers’ salaries to mitigate the current economic situation.

He also called for improved synergy among government branches to deliver democracy dividends to Nigerians.

In a lecture on the Tinubu administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, guest speaker Dr. Goke Adegoroye commended President Tinubu’s efforts in repositioning governance and resetting the economy.

He encouraged the administration to prioritize key aspects of the agenda to ensure their impact reaches various sectors of the economy.

Distinguished guests at the event included Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Esan; and several ministers and dignitaries from various ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as members of the diplomatic community.

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, conveyed this declaration on behalf of the federal government during a statement made in Abuja.

Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, conveyed the Minister’s message to the public and emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to addressing the various socio-economic and security challenges confronting the nation.

She pointed out that these challenges are not unique to Nigeria but are part of global issues.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo reiterated the government’s determination to confront these challenges head-on and work tirelessly until solutions are found.

He emphasized the pivotal role Nigeria plays on the global stage, describing it as Africa’s pride and a beacon of hope. He also highlighted the importance of unity among Nigerians in achieving the country’s potential.

The Minister invoked the spirit of Nigeria’s founding fathers, who, despite their differences in faith, tribe, and language, came together to secure the nation’s freedom.

He assured citizens that the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is committed to delivering a better Nigeria, as a fitting tribute to the heroes of the past.

As the nation prepares to celebrate its independence, the Minister extended warm wishes for a memorable celebration, underscoring the rich human capital, natural resources, and welcoming spirit that make Nigeria a leading black nation in the world.

This decision, as stated in a release by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, aligns with the directive from the federal government to observe a low-key celebration this year.

The Federal Government’s decision for a subdued celebration aims to reflect the prevailing national mood, and the state government has encouraged its citizens to use the occasion for solemn prayers for the country.

The statement partly reads, “Following the directive of the Federal Government that this year’s Independence Day Celebration should be low-key, the Ogun State Government has cancelled all arrangements in respect of the anniversary on October 1st, 2023.

“The decision by the federal government is to reflect the mood of the nation. The state government enjoins citizens of the state to spend the time solemnly praying for the country.

“It is the strong belief of the government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun that the supplications of the people at this crucial time will be answered by God.

“We seek the understanding and cooperation of all and sundry as we observe a low-key independence anniversary this year, believing that better times lie ahead of us as a people”.

The former Vice President in a statement by his media office in Abuja on Friday said the celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day expresses hope that Nigeria will surmount all challenges.

Atiku said the celebration is another opportunity to reawaken Nigerians’ consciousness towards the consolidation of unity amongst the diverse people of the country.

Waziri Adamawa who noted that Nigeria has come a long way after independence said democracy has the requisite antidote to the current challenges the country is going through.

Atiku said the challenges are the results of the inadequacies of the economic plans put in place by the All Progressives Congress (APC)).

The former Vice President said the increasing lack of unity compounds Nigeria’s challenges.

The statement read in part “the Wazirin Adamawa noted further that, though Nigeria is beset with challenges that range from inadequacies of our economic plans to cover a large percentage of our people who live below the poverty line; to security skirmishes that daily threaten the safety of lives and property of Nigerians, the root cause of these problems is traceable to the increasing lack of unity amongst us.

He, however, assured that as one people and under the canopy of one country sharing in one future, Nigeria will surmount her challenges and enthrone a nation of dreams.

And as Nigeria goes into the general elections next year, Atiku Abubakar urged everyone to give the issue of building national unity primary attention.

“Nigerians should elect leaders who are individuals with proven track records of being protagonists of unity and peace.

“I believe that when we fix the issues that continue to compromise our national unity, we would invariably fix issues that upset our peace and security and subsequently create an environment that can encourage economic prosperity”.

Osinbajo stated this in a speech at the 62nd Independence Anniversary Inter-Denominational Church Service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, on Sunday.

Nigeria clocks 62 years of independence on October 1.

Osinbajo said, “Brethren, we stand at the gate of a new nation, and we see its light shining bright; a nation of God’s promises, a nation of opportunities, equity and justice; a secure and prosperous nation, a nation of laws and righteousness.

“Even if what we see today seems bleak and dark, we are confident that God, who owns heaven and the earth, will fulfil his promises concerning this nation.”

Quoting the Holy Bible (Joshua 21 vs 45), Osinbajo said that all good plans God had in stock for Nigeria would manifest.

He said “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord has spoken to the House of Israel; all came to pass.

“I pronounce concerning this nation that not a word will fail regarding any good thing which the Lord has spoken of Nigeria. All will come to pass in Jesus’ name.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed who made this announcement in Abuja on Thursday,  said activities to commemorate the 2022 Independence Day would commence on September 25.

He said there will be a Church Service on Sunday, September 25, at the National Christian Centre, Central Business District, Abuja at 3:00pm.

“This will be followed by a Public Lecture focused on National Unity on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at the State House Conference Hall at 10am.

“On Friday, September 30th 2022, there will be a Special Juma’at Prayers at the National Mosque, Central Business District, here in Abuja.

“On Saturday, Oct. 1st 2022, there will be a Presidential Broadcast at 7 am. Later on the same day, there will be a Military Parade at the Eagle Square, Central Business District, Abuja, starting at 10am”, he added.

The Minister further announced that the award of National Honours would be held as part of the 62nd Independence Anniversary on October 11 in the nation’s capital.

The Minister claimed that celebrating Nigeria’s independence anniversary in 2022, serves as a reminder that in spite of the challenges the country has faced, Nigerians remain united.

He reiterated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to “promote unity, security and stability of the country”.

Citizens of Nigeria.

It is with full gratitude to God that today, we celebrate Nigeria’s sixty-first Independence Anniversary.

2. For 1st of October 1960 to happen, all hands were on deck. East, West, North all came together to celebrate freedom. Today should not only serve as a reminder of the day the British handed over the reins of power to Nigerians, but also unified Nigerians from all ethnic groups, religions and regions.
3. Today, despite the challenges we face, most Nigerians still maintain the spirit of 1st October. That positive outlook and determination to make Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation. It is due to this collective attitude that Nigeria doggedly continues to remain a united and indivisible nation.
4. Fellow Nigerians, the past eighteen months have been some of the most difficult periods in the history of Nigeria. Since the civil war, I doubt whether we have seen a period of more heightened challenges than what we have witnessed in this period.
5. Our original priorities for 2020 were to continue stabilising our economy following the deep recession while restoring peace in areas confronted with security challenges. But the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on all nations meant we needed to shift gears and re-strategise.
6. Nigerians came together as one to fight against COVID-19. It is this attitude and by the special grace of God, we continue to survive the pandemic as a nation and indeed, provide leadership and example at regional and international levels.
7. The doomsday scenario predicted for our country never came. Even as the Delta variant continues to spread, we have built the capacity we need to respond now and into the future.
8. I will therefore appeal to Nigerians not to take COVID lightly, adhere to public health and social measures, put your mask on and get vaccinated. We can control this pandemic, but it requires effort on everybody’s part. The investments we made in response to COVID-19 will also serve our country to tackle any future disease outbreaks or pandemics.
9. Despite the global inequity in access to vaccines, the Government of Nigeria has continued to explore all available options to ensure Nigerians have free access to safe and effective vaccines.
10. Some five million vaccine doses have been administered to Nigerians through efforts led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and we will continue to explore options for purchase or acquisition of vaccines such as through COVAX and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust.
11. I will take this opportunity to remind the global community that the current state of access to COVID-19 vaccines is unacceptable. We cannot afford a situation where a handful of countries keep the global vaccine supply to themselves at the expense of other nations.
12. We must act now to accelerate equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. This is the message I conveyed to the international community in New York last week.
13. As we push to source vaccines for our immediate needs, we shall invest more to support our pharmaceutical and research agencies to come up with ideas for locally developed vaccines. Should another pandemic arise in the future, Our question is simple; will Nigeria be ready?
14. Accordingly, I have directed the Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Health, Education and Science and Technology to work with Nigerian and International pharmaceutical companies and research organisations to enhance Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical capacity.
15. Already, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is raising a $200 million fund for this initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and drugs to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

Fellow Nigerians, this is just the beginning.

16. Similarly, on our approach to food security, I am proud to announce Nigeria has commenced its journey to pharmaceutical independence.
17. This journey, which will take years to achieve but will ultimately result in Nigerian based companies developing the Active Pharmaceutical substances and competence needed for us to make our own drugs and vaccines.

Fellow Nigerians,

18. As our economy continues to open after the COVID-19 related lockdowns, we have also seen the resurgence of insecurity in certain parts of the country.
19. In the last four months, the gallant men and women of the Military and Security Agencies have made tremendous progress in addressing these new security challenges. We are taking the fight to our enemies from all angles and we are winning.
20. Earlier this year, I launched the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the Deep Blue Project, which is designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. I am happy to inform Nigerians that we have taken delivery of key assets for this project and very soon, its impact will be felt.
21. In the North East region alone, over eight thousand Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered.
22. To support our surge approach to fighting banditry, the Nigerian Armed Forces have recruited over 17,000 personnel across all ranks. Furthermore, I have also approved for the Nigerian Police Force to recruit 10,000 police officers annually over the next six years.
23. I am also pleased to note that most of the Air Force platforms we acquired over the past three years have started to arrive in Nigeria. These will positively impact our security operations in all parts of the country.
24. In line with section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the security and welfare of Nigerians continue to be the prime focus on which programmes and projects of our government revolves.
25. Therefore, as a Government, we are ready to arrest and prosecute all persons inciting violence through words or action. Our resolve for a peaceful, united and one Nigeria remains resolute and unwavering.
26. That said, our hope is not to fight for peace. We can always settle our grievances peacefully without spilling any blood.
27. I will therefore take this opportunity, on this special day that symbolises the unity and oneness of our great nation, to ask all Nigerians to embrace peace and dialogue, whatever your grievances.
28. The seeds of violence are planted in people’s heads through words. Reckless utterances of a few have led to losses of many innocent lives and destruction of properties.
29. Such unfiltered and unsubstantiated lies and hate speeches by a few evil persons must be stopped. Our media houses and commentators must move away from just reporting irresponsible remarks to investigating the truth behind all statements and presenting the facts to readers.
30. We must all come out and speak against the lies being peddled. At this point, I would want to sincerely appreciate the large number of our Traditional, Religious and Community leaders as well as other well-meaning Nigerians who, in their various fora are openly spreading the message of peaceful co-existence and conflict settlement through dialogue in their respective communities.
31. Nigeria is for all of us. Its unity is not negotiable. And its ultimate success can only be achieved if we all come together with a common goal of having peace and prosperity for our nation.
32. We shall continue to work on dialogue based solutions to address legitimate grievances. But we remain ready to take decisive actions against secessionist agitators and their sponsors who threaten our national security.
33. The recent arrests of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, and the ongoing investigations being conducted have revealed certain high-profile financiers behind these individuals. We are vigorously pursuing these financiers including one identified as a serving member of the national assembly.

Fellow Nigerians,

34. This is a clear example of how people abandon their national leadership positions for their selfish gains. Instead of preaching unity, they are funding and misleading our youth to conduct criminal acts that sometimes lead to unfortunate and unnecessary loss of lives and property.
35. As the so-called leaders run abroad to hide, our innocent youths are misled and left in the streets to fight for their senseless and destructive causes.
36. Government will continue, with greater level of peoples’ participation and in collaboration with our international partners, to improve the security architecture, reduce enabling environment for criminality to thrive and eliminate opportunities for terrorism financing.
37. Fellow Nigerians, our unrelenting effort at resolving an almost two-decade stalling on the management of our Petroleum resources and ensuring equitable consideration to our host communities has resulted in the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
38. This Act not only overhauls the Institutional, regulatory and fiscal framework of the Petroleum Industry but also reduces the previous opacity associated with this sector.
39. This is the first step to the reforms as the process is a continuous one. Already, to further improve the governance framework, I have sought for an amendment of sections 11(2)(b) and 34(2)(b). We will also continue to review and amend as appropriate.
40. At this juncture, it is very appropriate that I salute the leadership and members of the Ninth Assembly for their patriotism, dedication to duty, candour and most importantly the dispatch with which they have enacted legacy legislations for this nation. I do not take such level of cooperation for granted and hope it continues for the overall efficiency of the Federal machinery.
41. Nigeria’s Roadmap on Local Refining is on track with the Commissioning of a Modular refinery in Imo State.
42. A second is scheduled for commissioning by the end of this year in Edo State and the third one in Bayelsa State by 2022.
43. In addition to the modular projects, we also have the two mega refinery projects coming up in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.
44. As these refineries are commissioned, more employment opportunities are created and there would be increased petroleum products available for local consumption which will significantly reduce our reliance on importation.
45. In further demonstrating our plan to reduce our dependence on oil and tapping from our enormous gas resources, this administration remains committed to the “Decade of Gas” Initiative, which is aimed at bringing to focus the utilization of our huge gas resources.
46. Already, we are supporting and promoting various gas-based projects including NLNG Train 7 and the mega urea and ammonia projects in the South-South region.
47. As we continue to optimise and enhance our oil and gas sector, I am also proud and delighted to state that our economic diversification strategy remains on course with the persistent increase in Non-Oil Sector contribution to GDP.
48. We recovered from economic recession in quarter four of 2020 with a GDP growth rate of 0.11%, and grew by 0.51% and 5.01% in real terms in the first and second quarters of 2021.
49. The Agricultural sector remains key to our economic diversification efforts as the sector has been a consistent driver of the non-oil sector contributing 22.35% and 23.78% to the overall GDP in the first and second quarter of 2021.
50. We have seen significant private sector investments in almost all areas of the agricultural value chain. And these have continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
51. Unfortunately, as our food production capacity has increased, food prices have been going up due to artificial shortages created by middlemen who have been buying and hoarding these essential commodities for profiteering.
52. To address this, I am hereby directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to rehabilitate the National Food Reserve Agency and also work with security agencies, the Nigerian Commodity Exchange, and the National Assembly to find a lasting solution to these disruptive and unpatriotic hoarding activities.
53. To further enhance food production, we have completed several new dams and are in the process of rehabilitating several River Basin Development Authorities to enhance groundwater supply for rainfed agriculture as well as surface water for irrigation agriculture.
54. The water projects we completed between 2015 to 2020 have improved Nigerian’s access to potable water to 71% between 2015 and 2020. This means 12.5 million additional Nigerians now have direct access to potable water.

Fellow Nigerians,

55. This Government remains concerned by the significant transportation infrastructure deficit we have. Addressing the challenges our commuters and lorry drivers face on the motorways is still a high priority to us.
56. To complement our budgetary allocations, the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund and the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, we recently established an N15trillion Infrastructural Corporation of Nigeria Limited (INFRACO), which is expected to begin operation by the fourth quarter of this year.
57. INFRACO will also focus on leveraging resources on a public-private sector basis for infrastructural development in Nigeria.
58. We hope through these innovative programs, the additional cost burden on individuals and businesses because of inefficient logistics operations will be reduced and ultimately, eliminated.
59. We currently have over 13,000 kilometres of roads and bridges under construction all over the country of which a fair percentage have been completed.
60. As we fix our roads, we also continue to extend and upgrade Nigeria’s railway network with the notable opening of the Warri- Itakpe standard gauge rail line.
61. To increase capacity, we have introduced more locomotives, coaches and wagons including the establishment of a Wagon Assembly in Kajola, Ogun State.
62. The sea ports however still remain problematic. The effect of our various interventions to reduce the gridlocks and inefficiencies have been slower than expected.
63. However, the implementation of the Electronic Call-Up System as well as the conversion of the Lillypond Container Terminal to a Vehicle Transit Area will further enhance the ease of cargo evacuation.
64. Our prioritisation of developing Nigeria’s Digital Economy has positively impacted the contribution of the ICT sector to our GDP.
65. We hope our present efforts to ensure all Nigerians use a National Identification Number as well as our planned roll-out of the fifth generation (5G) network technology will ensure we stay in line with the global innovation curve as a Nation.
66. As we embrace the digital economy in Nigeria, we are fully aware of the prospects and the perils. Our policies have been developed to enable Nigerians to take advantage of the prospects and avoid the perils of digital technologies.
67. Social media is a very useful platform that has enabled millions of Nigerians to connect with loved ones, promote their businesses, socialise, and access news and other information.
68. However, recent events have shown that the platform is not just an innocuous platform for information dissemination.
69. Rather some users have misused the platform to organise, coordinate, and execute criminal activities, propagate fake news, and promote ethnic and religious sentiments.
70. To address these negative trends, the Federal Government of Nigeria suspended the operations of Twitter in Nigeria on June 5, 2021 to allow the Government put measures in place to address these challenges.
71. Following the suspension of Twitter operations, Twitter Inc. reached out to the Federal Government of Nigeria to resolve the impasse. Subsequently, I constituted a Presidential Committee to engage Twitter to explore the possibility of resolving the issue.
72. The Committee, along with its Technical Team, has engaged with Twitter and have addressed a number of key issues. These are:
73. National Security and Cohesion;
74. Registration, Physical presence and Representation;
75. Fair Taxation;
76. Dispute Resolution; and
77. Local Content.
78. Following the extensive engagements, the issues are being addressed and I have directed that the suspension be lifted but only if the conditions are met to allow our citizens continue the use of the platform for business and positive engagements.
79. As a country, we are committed to ensuring that digital companies use their platform to enhance the lives of our citizens, respect Nigeria’s sovereignty, cultural values and promote online safety.
80. Nigeria’s progressive diplomacy continues to manifest through growing numbers of highly placed Nigerians in positions of regional and global influences. Very recently, Nigeria won election for the position of Commissioner for the expanded Political, Peace and Security Affairs of the African Union.
81. Our persistent calls for a reorganized and reformed ECOWAS, to make the organization citizens-sensitive, paid off with the acceptance by the Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS to commence the agreed reforms in the organization ahead of the next elections of the organization’s principal officers in December this year.
82. At the African Development Bank, World Trade Organization and indeed, the United Nations, footprints of Nigeria’s Diplomacy are clearly evident.
83. We remain confident that our goal of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is achievable.
84. Considering the positive impact of our Social Investment Programs, I recently approved an increase in the number of N-Power program beneficiaries from 500,000 to 1,000,000.
85. Out of this, 510,000 have started the programme while the competitive selection process for onboarding the outstanding 490,000 beneficiaries is in progress.
86. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is currently being implemented in 35 States of the Federation and the FCT. Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the programme, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the country.
87. To grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable, I have directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme loans to an additional one million beneficiaries laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni program.

Fellow Nigerians,

83. For far too long we have neglected the centrality of the civil service as the engine of governance and this has manifested in ineffective service delivery.
84. There is widespread discontent and disillusion about the efficiency and probity of our civil service.
85. It is for this reason that we are refocusing the Nigerian Civil Service to provide World class service to run our country.
86. The youths of this great country remain propellants for our today and provide guarantees that we would have a secure tomorrow.
87. It is for this reason that I remain focused on expanding opportunities for their participation in politics and governance.
88. Recent appointments of young people into positions of authority and their track record so far, gives me confidence that we need to bring more of them into governance and this I promise to do.
89. More specifically, to encourage Girl-Child Education, female scholarship schemes, life skills and digital literacy skills to boost girl’s enrolment, retention and completion of schooling, are all initiatives put in place to ensure gender balance in appropriately positioning our youths for positions of leadership.
90. The commitment of this Administration to the well-being of people living with disabilities remains unwavering.
91. Government recognises their contributions to development and I have, in this regard, directed that all relevant Government Agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of different abilities in the implementation of policies and programmes.
92. Rape and Gender Based Violence remains a sore point in our Nation as in many countries worldwide and this was worsened during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
93. We are currently engaging Heads of Courts to establish Specialised Courts for the speedy and seamless trial of Rape/Gender-Based offences especially to ensure that justice is done for child victims of sexual violence.
94. On the other hand, work has advanced in the reformation, reintegration and reunification of Minors involved in one crime or the other.
95. The reformation in our Correctional Services has manifested in an increase in modernised custodial centres and a transformation from strictly punitive to attitudinal changes so that criminals do not relapse into their previous lifestyle.
96. As we begin to celebrate our sixty-one years as a Nation, we need to be conscious that Nigeria does not start and end with the Federal Government. This country is a great collective where the Government at all arms and levels as well as the private sector, and more importantly individuals, have a role to play.
97. In particular, security is a bottom to top undertaking. Joining hands and hearts together would enable us to secure ourselves and our country.
98. I fully understand the anxiety of many Nigerians on the inability of this country to go beyond a never-ending potential for becoming a great nation to an actually great one.
99. A lot has been achieved in the last six years on many fronts: in infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.
100. But critics misdiagnose incremental progress as stagnation. Since coming to power, this Administration has tackled our problems head-on in spite of the meagre resources. No government since 1999 has done what we have done in six years to put Nigeria back on track.
101. We shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country.

Thank you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This is part of activities to mark the 61st anniversary celebration of Nigeria’s nationhood.

This according to a statement titled, ‘October 1 independence anniversary: President Buhari to broadcast to the nation’ by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina on Thursday evening.

“As part of activities marking the 61st Independence Anniversary of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 7am”, he said.

“All television, radio and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, respectively, for the address”, the statement added.

Fellow Nigerians

I speak to you today as your President and fellow citizen on this epoch occasion of our country’s 60th independence Anniversary. As President, I wish to renew my appreciation to Nigerians for entrusting me with your hopes and aspirations for a better and greater Nigeria.

2. Today, it is my unique privilege to re-commit myself to the service of this great country of great people with profound diversities and opportunities. We are bound by destiny to be the largest and greatest black nation on earth.
3. At this stage in our nationhood, it is important that we reflect how we got here to enable us to work TOGETHER to get to where we aspire to be as a strong indivisible nation, united in hope and equal in opportunity.
4. On October 1st 1960 when Prime Minister Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa received the constitutional instruments symbolizing Nigeria’s independence, he expressed his wish that having acquired our rightful status as an independent sovereign nation, history would record that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace.
5. This optimism was anchored on the peaceful planning, full and open consultation and harmonious cooperation with the different groups which culminated in Nigeria emerging as a country without bitterness and bloodshed.
6. Our founding fathers understood the imperative of structuring a National identity using the power of the state and worked towards the unification of Nigerians in a politically stable and viable entity.
7. That philosophy guided the foundation that was laid for our young nation of 45 million people with an urban population of approximately 7million occupying an area of 910,768 square kilometres. These demographics led to development challenges for which major efforts were made to overcome.
8. Today, we grapple with multiple challenges with a population exceeding 200million occupying the same land mass but 52% residing in urban areas.
9. Sixty years of nationhood provides an opportunity to ask ourselves questions on the extent to which we have sustained the aspirations of our founding fathers. Where did we do the right things? Are we on course? If not where did we stray and how can we remedy and retrace our steps?
10. Upon attaining independence, Nigeria’s growth trajectory was anchored on policies and programmes that positively impacted on all sectors of the economy. However, this journey was cut short by the 30-months of civil war.
11. We came out of the civil war with a focus on reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation that enabled the country to put in place world-class development structures and a strengthened public service that well served the government. This positive trajectory continued with a return to a democratic government which was truncated by another round of military rule.
12. For a cumulative 29 of our 60 years of existence as a nation, we have been under military rule.
13. My summary of our journey so far as a nation is necessary to appropriately chart where we need to go and how to get there TOGETHER.
14. Today, I am aware that our economy along with every single economy in the world is in crisis. We still face security challenges in parts of the country, while our society suffers from a high loss of moral rectitude which is driven by an unbridled craving for political control.
15. An underlying cause of most of the problems we have faced as a nation is our consistent harping on artificially contrived fault-lines that we have harboured and allowed unnecessarily to fester.
16. In addition, institutions such as civil service, police, the judiciary, the military all suffered from a general decline.
17. We need to begin a sincere process of national healing and this anniversary presents a genuine opportunity to eliminate old and outworn perceptions that are always put to test in the lie they always are.
18. The stereotype of thinking of ourselves as coming from one part of the country before seeing ourselves as Nigerians is a key starting point to project us on the road to our deserved nation’s evolution and integration.
19. To start this healing process, we are already blessed with the most important asset any nation requires for such – OUR PEOPLE – and this has manifested globally in the exploits of Nigerians in many fields.
20. It has been demonstrated time and time again that Nigerians in the diaspora frequently excel in science, technology, medicine, sports, arts and many other fields.
21. Similarly, the creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Nigerian at home have resulted in globally recognized endeavours.
22. I am convinced that if we pursue our aspirations TOGETHER we would be able to achieve whatever we desire. That informed our adopting the theme TOGETHER to mark this epochal event.
23. Together we can change our condition for the better and more importantly, together we can do much more for ourselves and for our country.
24. I chose the path of self-reflection because this is what I do on a daily basis and I must confess that at most times, I always felt the need for a collective reflection as I know that the foundation for a solid future which this administration is laying can only be sustainable if there is a collective commitment by Nigerians.
25. Nigeria is not a country for Mr President, any ruling or opposition party but a country for all of us and we must play our part, irrespective of challenges we face, to make this country what we desire.
26. To achieve this, we must focus our minds, TOGETHER as a people, on ways of resolving the identified critical challenges that underlie our present state. These include:
27. Evolving and sustaining a democratic culture that leaves power in the hands of the people;
28. Supporting the enthronement of the rule of law, demanding accountability of elected representatives and contributing to good governance;
29. Increasing our commitment to peaceful co-existence in a peaceful, secure and united Nigeria;
30. Harnessing and Optimizing our tremendous human and natural resources to attain our goal of being in the top twenty economies of the world and in the process;
31. Lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years;
32. Strengthening institutions to make them stronger in protecting National Interests; and
33. Imbibing tolerance in diversity.
34. I am a firm believer in transparent, free, fair and credible elections as has been demonstrated during my period as a democratically elected President.
35. The recent build-up and eventual outcome of the Edo State elections should encourage Nigerians that it is my commitment to bequeath to this country processes and procedures that would guarantee that the people’s votes count.
36. The problems with our electoral process are mainly human-induced as a desperate desire for power leads to desperate attempts to gain power and office.
37. Democracy, the world over and as I am pursuing in Nigeria, recognizes the power of the people. However, if some constituencies choose to bargain off their power, they should be prepared for denial of their rights.
38. This call is made more urgent if we realise that even after a transparent, free, fair and credible election, desperation leads to compromising the judiciary to upturn legitimate decisions of the people.
39. It is necessary to, therefore support the enthronement of the rule of law by avoiding actions which compromise the judiciary.
40. Fellow Nigerians, our history has shown that we are a people that have the capacity to live peacefully with one another.
41. As a government, we remain committed to our constitutional oath of securing the lives and properties of the citizenry. I, however, call on the citizenry to also support the government by providing the necessary community-level intelligence in addressing these challenges.
42. In moving forward together, it is important to strengthen our economy to provide sustainable means of livelihood for as many Nigerians as possible so as to eradicate absolute poverty from our midst.
43. I want to re-emphasize my dedication and commitment, dedication and commitment that propelled my public service career and informed my quest to continually seek for an opportunity to improve the lives of Nigerians set the country on the path of prosperity and lead the country to a better future.
44. This administration has been focused on rebuilding and laying the foundations for a sustainable Nigeria. Of course, we have met and are still meeting the challenges inherent in any rebuilding initiative – more so that of a nation like Nigeria that has undergone avoidable levels of deprivation – but can be surmounted if we all work together.
45. I wish to reiterate that our people and our spirit of excellence remains our most important asset.
46. In this wise, the need to return to our age-old ethical and high moral values would be necessary and this informed my launching of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy on Monday 28th September 2020.
47. The policy would not implement itself and the first contact of the visibility of its implementation is the Public Service whose on-going reforms would be expected to be sustainable and give a radical re-direction in providing services to all Nigerians.
48. Fellow Nigerians, in addition to public health challenges of working to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, we have suffered a significant drop in our foreign exchange earnings and internal revenues due to 40 per cent drop in oil prices and a steep drop in economic activities, leading to a 60 per cent drop in government revenue.
49. Our government is grappling with the dual challenge of saving lives and livelihoods in face of drastically reduced resources.
50. In this regard, sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible. The government, since coming into office has recognized the economic argument for adjusting the price of petroleum. But the social argument about the knock-on effect of any adjustment weighed heavily with the government.
51. Accordingly, in the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of:
52. Tradermoni
53. Farmermoni
54. School Feeding Programme
55. Job creation efforts
56. Agricultural intervention programmes
57. No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security. Those in the previous Governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts.
58. In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.
59. Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point;
60. Chad which is an oil-producing country charges N362 per litre
61. Niger, also an oil-producing country sells 1 litre at N346.
62. In Ghana, another oil-producing country, the petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.
63. Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre. It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.
64. Fellow Nigerians, to achieve the great country we desire, we need to solidify our strength, increase our commitment and encourage ourselves to do that which is right and proper even when no one is watching.
65. Fellow Nigerians, let us collectively resolve to continue our journey beyond the sixty years on the clear understanding that as a nation we are greater together than being smaller units of nationalities. By the special grace of God, we shall come through any transient challenges.
66. It is my sincere hope that by the end of this anniversary on September 30th 2021, we will all be proud of taking this individual and collective self-assessment for the progress of our great Nation.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

God Bless us all. Thank you.