As Nigeria marks her 61st anniversary of her Independence,the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has called on Nigerians to keep faith, and at all times, unite to move the nation forward.
Lawan, in a message of felicitation to all Nigerians on the anniversary, said this anniversary was a special one as it was the first year in the seventh decade of Nigeria as a nation.
The message was signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, yesterday.
He also noted that Nigeria so far was in her longest era of a hitch-free democracy since Independence.
The message read in part; “This is the first year of our seventh decade as a nation, and also the second year of the third decade of the Fourth Republic.
“I find it remarkable that we are living in the longest era of democracy in our history as a nation.
“That may seem modest as an achievement but it is an additional cause for celebration in the light of our political experience.”
Lawan urged Nigerians to rain steadfast and ensure that Nigeria works, as he noted that gaining Independence from the colonial masters only marked the beginning of an onerous task of nation building by all citizens.
“Every patriot will always remember with pride that historic moment on October 1, 1960, when the British Union Jack was lowered and our Green-White-Green flag hoisted in its place.
“That moment symbolizes our attainment of freedom from colonial rule. But it also marks the beginning of the onerous task of building a united, peaceful and prosperous nation that we set for ourselves.
“Over six decades on, the journey has been eventful and the challenges enormous. But we can be proud of the progress that we have made, draw lessons from the missteps and rededicate ourselves to our historic mission of nation-building.
We should never abandon that mission”, Lawn said.
He emphasised that our diversity can be a tool for strength and knowledge, and appealed that Nigerians utilise these to grow higher.
According to him, “Our founding fathers encountered difficulties from the diversity of our people and country. But they realized that the feature is not unique to us and so they wisely embraced it as a potential source of strength.
“That is why they resolutely bound us into an indissoluble union. They had a dream of a diverse, united and prosperous Nigeria as a beckon of hope to Africa and the entire Black World.
“We must keep the torch of that dream of our founding fathers burning and hand it over to the next generation of Nigerians.
“The founding fathers got nothing on a silver platter. Their dream of a glorious future for Nigeria inspired them in confronting the challenges of their time.
“That great heritage is what we are celebrating today. We must preserve and pass it to the coming generations”.
Expressing concern over the various crises the nation was going through; he said that unity and commitment of citizens can guarantee the people’s collective victory.
“Our own challenges today are numerous but they are not insurmountable. If we face them like our founding fathers faced those of their time, the coming generations will also accord our memories their gratitude.
“Our political, religious and traditional leaders as well as influencers of opinions across the country need, therefore, to unite their purpose and energy for the good of our dear nation.
“As issues arise, let us use the right channels to address them in the true spirit of democracy. Nigeria belongs to all its citizens, not to some more than the others”.
Lawan assured that the National Assembly would do her best in ensuring that the nation thrives through good legislations.
He said, “The National Assembly is determined to facilitate a meaningful review of the Constitution by the people, to ensure that the instrument continues to serve its purpose and to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
“The National Assembly will always provide the necessary legislative interventions to strengthen the processes and encourage popular participation”.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja