Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has urged Nigerians to focus more on issues that will further unite and keep the country as one rather than succumbing to temptations of the propagandists calling for disintegration.
He said this his address on the 60th National Day celebration to the people of the state, at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, on Thursday, that the “short term pains and inconveniences” being experienced by Nigerians are a prelude to a better tomorrow for all.
Abiodun opined that the present administration in the country is sincere in its programmes and policies engender to reposition the country.
“We have done it before at different times of our national trials and we can do it again. That Nigeria has the potentials to become one of the biggest economies of the world is not debatable.
“In fact, at 60, we should not be talking about how our nation will become a world power. We should be talking about how to consolidate our world status. We have all the human and natural resources to make us a world power.
“Even if we need to tweak the structure of our federal system to make it respond to the needs of our current realities and that of the federating units, we can ill-afford the dismemberment of our great nation. The indomitable Nigerian spirit in us will see us through. Let us release the eagle in us to fly above the storm.
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“All we need to do is to bring our collective will to harness our potentials. We must also accept that development is a process. We must also know that the process has a cost. The good news is that the cost is not expensive. All we have to pay is our collective patience to see the process through a logical conclusion.
“We will have to make painful but necessary decisions. The failure of the past in taking these decisions is what led us to where we are today and the situation we find ourselves. It is therefore very imperative that we summon courage now, and pool our shared will to take these tough decisions for the good of the present generation and building a strong foundation on which incoming generations can build. Just as the labours of our heroes past can never be in vain, that is the only way our own labour will not be in vain.
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“We must continue to work for the peaceful coexistence of all, irrespective of language, religion, ethnic nationality, places and circumstances of birth or societal status. Let me reiterate once again that the choice of the theme for this Nigeriaā€™s Diamond jubilee anniversary, ‘Together Shall We Be’, is very instructive. Together, we shall continue to make Nigeria greater.
“The future of our great nation is promising and very magnificent to imagine. But, sacrifices have to be made. Let me say that the pains and inconveniences we currently experience due to the current situation of our economy are short-term and are, in fact, a prelude to a better tomorrow for all of us, our country and the incoming generations.
“The naysayers may have complained of the same admonitions made in the past without results. But, the difference is that we now have a federal government with a leadership that is sincere in its policies and programmes. It is on record that since suffering a recession and a full year of negative growth in the recent past, Nigeriaā€™s economy has recovered slowly but steadily,” he added.