Cross River Speaker, ex-Attorney Gen., others celebrate Nigeria at 61 in Calabar

Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Eteng Jonah Williams, the State Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Attah Ochinke, Ken Asima and Dr Judge Atelhe, have joined Nigeria at 61 celebrations, reviewing the prospects of the country.

In his interaction with newsmen in his office in Calabar, while delivering his independence day message, the Speaker called for united efforts in support of the government of the day.

“We have gone through a lot, we have gone through so many challenges. Every great nation goes through that. Let us have hope especially for those of us from Cross River State. Let us think Cross River and the Nigerian project, we must live in peace with one another,” he said.

He called for concerted efforts by all citizens for a better country.

“For those that are giving us cause to cry, I am saying please let us Unite and work with the government to achieve a better Nigeria. Our founding fathers have done well, so this is our own time to build legacies so that our children will celebrate us,” he implored.

Also, in their separate opinions on a special broadcast on Hit FM Calabar, and monitored by Saturday Tribune, on Friday morning, the NBA chairman and former Attorney-General of Cross River State, Attah Ochinke, said it was time Nigerians started engaging one another in dialogue on those national issues the country had been avoiding.

“We should start having the conversations we are avoiding. When we talk of restructuring, we should put everything on the table. We have a lot of agitations by different components of the country for independence, and these agitations are becoming violent, increasingly so, but that is because there is no other avenue or platform for those conversations to be heard.

“Those conversations have been driven underground. We should have the courage to discuss all the issues we need to discuss Nigeria, including the basis of our unity,” Ochinke said.

The NBA chairman also said that no matter how unpleasant the discussion of national issues should be, such issues should be discussed in order to harmonise the nation and avoid hostility and disunity.

Also speaking, ken Asim Ita, the executive secretary of Calabar Chamber of Commerce said Nigeria is not irredeemable.

“Nigeria is not irredeemable, we can get it back to where we were, leadership and governance are too important to be left in the hands of politicians alone.

“Every single Nigerian should be part of impacting accountability of governance on our leadership system. Continue to contribute your quarter. We will get out of this, but let us learn to hold our leaders accountable for what we have asked them to do for us,” he said.

Ita retreated that the involvement of all citizens in the leadership impact process was one sure way of redeeming Nigeria.

On his part, Dr Judge Atelhe said Nigeria at 61 could be scored 55 per cent.

“You see, the 55 per cent that we are scoring, is for Nigeria, not the leadership. We are scoring Nigeria 55 per cent because there are certain Nigerians who are still committed and are making efforts frankly, for the development of Nigeria.

“At their own individual levels and capacity, there ate still Nigerians who are through their sweat investing the little they have to create employment for other Nigerians. There are Nigerians who still believe in the nationalistic agenda of Nigeria,” Atelhe noted.

He further advised citizens to be cautious of the public good.

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Cross River Speaker, ex-Attorney Gen., others celebrate Nigeria at 61 in Calabar

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