Nigeria @66: Otti calls for citizenship, vigilance, says despair must not lead to hopelessness
Nigeria @66: Otti calls for citizenship, vigilance, says despair must not lead to hopelessness
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
Abia State Governor Alex Otti, has urged Nigerians to embrace active citizenship and collective vigilance as the bedrock for sustaining the gains of independence.
Governor Otti stated this on Thursday in a ceremony organized to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary in Umuahia the state capital.
The governor who congratulated Nigerians on the freedom of the nation, noted that while the demand for self-governance was driven by the political elites, it was the support of ordinary people that gave the struggle its legitimacy.
He said it is important to reflect on the dreams of the founding fathers who took to the parliament, classrooms, editorial pages and streets to champion our freedom.
Otti admitted that Nigeria may not have attained the lofty heights envisaged at independence, but argued that the post-independence years have not been without successes.
“Yes, we may not have done as well as one could have wished on a number of critical development front lines, but evidently there are some remarkable achievements that we can take pride in,” he said.
He expressed concern over perennial struggles with basic infrastructure, poverty, unemployment, limited access to education and healthcare, and insecurity, adding that several less-endowed nations have achieved far superior results on these fronts.
The governor lamented the mass exodus of young Nigerians in search of opportunities abroad, saying it does not tell a good story of progress after 66 years, hundreds of billions of dollars in earnings and abundant human talent.
He however cautioned that disappointment should not lead to despair, describing optimism as a defining trait of Nigerians.
According to him, national progress requires every citizen to accept responsibility as a stakeholder in the Nigerian project, irrespective of nativity, political affiliation or religious belief.
“The real act of courage is not to take up arms against equally hapless compatriots, resort to endless criticisms, or perhaps resign to indifference. The patriotic thing to do is to boldly confront the situation headlong using every legitimate tool available to us,” he stated.
Otti said nation-building does not have to be complex, listing simple patriotic acts such as voting in elections, participating in civic conversations, paying taxes, obeying traffic rules, rejecting dishonest gains and being diligent at work as critical levers of development.
He said mediocrity, greed, nepotism and disregard for basic rules of decency remain the principal drivers of corruption and institutional failure.
The Governor noted that despite challenges, including the civil war, military incursions and mismanaged elections, Nigeria has remained on the democratic path for 27 years, which he described as no small feat.
He urged citizens to insist that only the best among them lead, warning that development will remain an illusion if Nigerians stay away from the ballot, sell their votes or vote on primordial sentiments.
Otti also saluted security agents fighting insecurity, teachers, health workers, civil servants, artisans, traders, artists, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, farmers and other Nigerians contributing to nation-building.
He thanked Abians for their unshakable faith in the country and their support for his administration, restating his commitment to the rapid socio-economic transformation of the state.
“Your security and welfare, as the Constitution stipulates, shall remain our foremost priority,” he assured.
“Let us remember that the fruits of yesterday’s struggle can only be sustained by the vigilance of the present and future generations as pray for God’s blessing upon Abia State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”