LET US BE COURAGEOUS Today we mark yet another independence day celebration at a most critical time in our Nations history, when the threat to our unity is becoming a real and present danger. Our nation building effort is suffering a major challenge as lightening flashes of conflicts illuminate our horizons ----- the Boko Haram menace in the north, ethnic conflicts in Plateau and kidnappings across the land. There is on all fronts it seems, North and South, East and West a fierce struggle for self-determination that threatens our national unity and harmony. These are times of global socioeconomic and political challenges as well; combined, these are turbulent currents of sociopolitical and economic unrest capable of undermining our union. The challenge we now face cannot be met by a divided people or the shallow measures of vindictive politics, neither will we be able to contain these challenges by deploying the narrow solutions typical of religious and regional bias. It is against this vast dark panorama that we observe our independence day this year. For the Federal government, I believe the hardship on the Nigerian people is most disturbing. The Nigerian citizen of today, exhibits a complicated dimension of poverty and disease. He is malnourished and disillusioned about the future. Government must therefore strive to create the environment and steer a course that will fight the battle for the people’s rights; it must seek to give aid and relief to those on the periphery who still live on the marginal edge of existence. This is the role of Government. I believe that the vector for the sustenance of our unity will undoubtedly be the Nigerian youth.. Government must therefore provide a platform for the Nigerian youth to proclaim and design a future that they desire --- for the future belongs to them. Nigeria’s problems demand the quality of youth, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination and a predominance of courage over timidity and sycophancy. It is the young people that must take the lead in this movement for change. Many of the world’s greatest movement of thought and action have flowed from the work of young men and women. The times demand a strong and bold Government ready, willing and able to embrace every Nigerian; youths and progressives alike. The struggle to preserve our union and grow our economy must engage our minds like none other; it will be a long struggle in which we all must be engaged – one requiring constancy and perseverance as well as action and movement. There are no gains without pains; no easy solutions to difficult problems and that in the final analysis, what is more important to a nations survival than deposits of oil and gas in the ground, are the deposits of character and courage in the hearts of its citizens. And so to all those who are young at heart, for youth is not a number of years, but a state of mind; and the progressive minds of this great country, at home and abroad, I invite you to join the struggle to sustain our unity. I invite you to join the struggle and contribute to that quilt of ideas and human endeavor that will build the democratic Nigeria nation that has eluded us for so long. It is therefore for this purpose that we invoke our constitutional right and obligation to assemble today in observance of independence day, in an effort to maintain and keep alive our democracy; by calling on the youths and every Nigerian to rise to the occasion and be courageous. While the economic indices suggests moderate growth and a projected growth in GDP this year, Government must not relent in its efforts. President Jonathan should remain true to his commitment to the Nigerian people, and if he does, we cannot fail --- we will succeed. If President Jonathan in short remains close to the people, the people will remain close to him, and together we can look forward to the future with confidence and hope; ready to deal with the challenges of transformation that tomorrow’s world will surely bring. Let us therefore, move on in confidence, believing that God’s work on earth must truly be our’s. God bless Nigeria and Happy 53rd to all of us. Be Safe. Prince u.idiong jr
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 08:27:10 +0000