Governors Ibikunle Amosun and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Ogun and Kwara States have lauded Nigerians for being steadfast even in the face of myriad of challenges that are bedeviling the country, but said that Nigerians need to be more patriotic in order to get to the Promised Land.
While Governor Amosun expressed optimism that the country is on the path of greatness in spite of its current challenges, Governor Ahmed said that country people need to be more dedicated and fight collectively to put all challenges behind.
Amosun said: “Yes, there are challenges, but in spite of these challenges, we are confident in the future of Nigeria and the ability of the current managers of the nation to steer it consistently on the path of greatness.
“In spite of the current economic challenges, Nigeria and Nigerians have every reason to celebrate the progress so far recorded. We are on the path of sustainable growth and development.
“We are winning the war against insurgency, winning the war against corruption and actually growing our non-oil revenue sources in a manner that clearly indicates that we are truly on the path to a diversified economy.
“More than ever before, we all need to come together and work in unity in order to contribute to the economic development of our dear state and Nigeria.
Governor Ahmed congratulated Nigerians just as he called for more demonstration of patriotism, commitment and dedication to collective goals so that the current challenges become things of the past.
He noted that the economic situation of the country may make means of livelihood difficult at the present, but added that if Nigerians join hands, the country would surely and steadily bounce back to prosperity, saying everything must be done to ensure that days of economic recession are over in the shortest possible time.
He however, assured Kwarans that his government was committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people by embarking on infrastructural development as well as policies and programmes to meet the social and economic needs of the people.
Similarly, Ali Ahmed, speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, said that it was incumbent on every Nigerian to put aside their ethnic differences, religious or political affiliation in order to make the country work.
“It is glaring that 56 years of Nigeria’s independent from colonial masters has not in any way been matched by the founding fathers’ projection. Thus, with leadership commitment and determination Nigeria would get to the promise land.
There is no doubt that the country has passed through several challenges which had shook it to its foundation. God in His wisdom has made Nigeria to remain as an entity.
“To get out of several problems facing the country, every citizen must resolve to move away from regional sentiment and other things that divide us and see our togetherness as a gift from the creator.
He however, tasked the Federal Government to ensure that development is spread to the nooks and crannies of the country, noting that such step would in no time address continuous calls by some segments of the country to secede.
“There is no denying the fact that the nation is still lagging behind in terms of real development. However, peace and unity of the country is sacrosanct and cannot be traded with anything,” he said.
We must do whatever it takes to protect the nation’s sovereignty while continuously appealing to the consciousness of some citizens who might be aggrieved for one reason or the other.
On the current state of the nation’s economy, the Speaker described the situation as unfortunate and appealed for Nigerians’ calmness to move out of the difficulty.
RAZAQ AYINLA & SIKIRAT SHEHU
