Monday, October 3, 2022, has been designated as a federal holiday to mark the nation’s 62nd anniversary of independence.
On behalf of the Federal Government, Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of the Interior, thanked all Nigerians on the occasion.
In a statement signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Belgore, Aregbesola assured of the government’s commitment to addressing all of the nation’s challenges and bringing smiles to all of the people, reiterating Nigeria’s preeminent position in the international community and the country’s future greatness.
“The world faces grave economic and security issues, which have also afflicted our country,” he remarked. I can tell you, however, that the government will not desert the people and will continue to face all of these difficulties with every available resource until relief is found.
“With our warmth, welcoming spirit, and love, as well as our unrivaled human capital and the wealth of our land, Nigeria is undeniably the premier black nation in the world, the pride of Africa, and a light of hope.” If we can unite and reach our full potential, we will be the greatest nation on earth.
“A nation of over 200 million people whose innate abilities, grit, and passion shine like the priceless diamond that we are; Nigerians shine like diamonds in the crowd, whether in education, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion, or culture.”
The Minister advised Nigerians to ponder on the nation’s difficulties and the role they may play in resolving them.
While greeting Nigerians a wonderful Freedom Day, he reminded them that Nigeria’s founding fathers achieved independence despite religious, tribal, and linguistic divides.
“Although our country faces issues, especially in the area of security, they are temporary and do not define us,” he stated. Diversity, strength, innovation, and resiliency characterize the excellence of the Nigerian people.
We will triumph above all hurdles. “There will come a moment when we look back on this period and express thanks to the Almighty for the turbulent seas we have traversed and the wins we have achieved over the problems that appear so enormous and colossal right now,”
The minister, on the other hand, urged Nigerians to avoid all forms of violence and to be security conscious, urging them to report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest security agency as well as via the N-Alert app for Android and IOS, saying “when you see something, do N-Alert for a prompt response from security agents.”