Nigerians have been assured by President Bola Tinubu that his government has built the foundations for prosperity with the reforms that his administration adopted.
Tinubu, who stated this in his independence anniversary broadcast, however, noted that the reforms didn’t create the weaknesses in the economy but confronted them.
According to him, for the first time in decades, his government embarked on the task from a position of strength; with an economy whose fundamental direction has been corrected.
“We confronted the difficult choices we faced and have laid the foundations for lasting prosperity. Rather than fail the promise of a better future for our children, the time has come for us to build that future.”
He maintained that the age of reform has done its work, stressing that now begins the age of prosperity. “An age in which the promise of this great nation must finally become the lived experience of Nigerians from all walks of life.
“We’ve travelled through difficult years together. We’ve made hard decisions together. And now, still together, we must build the country those decisions have made possible.
Tinubu noted that he believes in millions of ordinary men and women whose work, courage and determination have always been the true strength of our country. “The road ahead will still demand much from us. But we travel it now with firm footing, a clear direction and renewed hope in our collective future.
“Nigeria has corrected its course. We’ve passed through our own Red Sea. This isn’t the time to look back. Let’s go forward together, with faith in ourselves, faith in our country, and faith that the sacrifices we’ve made will yield their reward.”
He maintained that the Promised Land before us is a Nigeria of abundance and opportunity; a nation where prosperity is broadly shared, where every child can dream beyond the circumstances of his birth, and where our country’s immense promise is finally reflected in the lives of our people.
Speaking about the resilience of Nigerians, the President said that the journey hasn’t always been easy but has generally been too hard for too many. “We’ve known moments of great hope and periods of profound disappointment. We’ve endured war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval. Yet through it all, Nigeria, with the indomitable spirit of its people, has endured.
“It has endured through the efforts of the farmer who rises before dawn to work his land. The trader who opens her shop each morning, hopeful for a productive day. The teacher who believes in the children entrusted to her care and the young entrepreneur who refuses to surrender ambition to circumstance.”
The President also saluted Nigeria military personnel for their efforts in ensuring that the nation is safer.
“We’re grateful for the men and women of our Armed Forces and security services who place themselves in harm’s way so that the rest of us may live in peace.
“Through every difficulty, generations of Nigerians have continued to believe in one thing: that this country of ours will be better.
“This faith, which sustains us all, is the inheritance of independence. Our founding fathers didn’t struggle merely for a flag, an anthem or a place among the nations of the world. Independence carried a larger promise: that Nigerians would have the freedom to shape their own destiny and build a nation capable of providing opportunity, dignity and a better life for its people. Sixty-six years later, Almighty God has made it our responsibility to deliver that promise.
“Today, as we celebrate our independence, we must speak honestly about the journey so far, the choices we made, and the country we are determined to build from here.
He also spoke about the reforms he made for a better Nigeria, he said, “For too long, the promise of Nigeria was undermined by choices that postponed difficult decisions and allowed deep economic distortions to grow.
“By 2023, poverty was rising, and hope was nearly gone. The country’s situation was darker than ever. We had no choice but to act.”
He compared Nigeria to a sick patient who receives the terrible news that he has cancer, and his doctor explains that the treatment will be difficult and painful, but that it offers a strong prospect of recovery.
He said that while previous leaders chose morphine while praying for a miracle that never came, focusing on symptoms while allowing the disease to take hold deep within the fabric of our society, his government took the hard but better option.
