NIGERIA @ 58: EL-RUFAI HAILS FOUNDING FATHERS

Nasir el-Rufai 

"Nigeria is not yet where our founding fathers dreamt it should be, but it is not to say that there has been no progress"..... el-Rufai 

Nigeria's 58th Independence celebration has been described as a time for nation building and growth development.

In Kaduna, the 58th Independence was celebrated by the Governor, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai as he paid tribute to nation’s generation that struggled for her Independence including its founding fathers.

According to Nasir el-Rufai, has persevered through the stresses and tensions that buffet young countries.

While felicitating with the people of Kaduna state and Nigerians all over the country, "Nigeria is not yet where our founding fathers dreamt it should be, but it is not to say that there has been no progress", he stressed.

"The fact that we have the liberty to rule ourselves and to make our own choices, means that it is up to us to make a more committed effort for progress and development".

"On this occasion, I pay tribute to the founding fathers and the generation that struggled for independence. They made sacrifices to remove the colonial yoke and to birth a new dawn".

"As leaders of an emergent, multi-ethnic country, they faced challenges and had their successes and mistakes. It is the duty of this generation to take up the mantle and advance the work of nation-building and development".

The Governor reiterated that, "the task of developing our country and expanding opportunity for our people require an atmosphere of harmony.

"Let us apply our energy and intellect into finding and implementing solutions that promote equal opportunity for our people, deliver quality education and decent healthcare and supports investments, jobs and infrastructure".

"To be so fixated as we are on religion and ethnicity, focusing on how people worship or where they are from, rather than their ability, is a self-indulgent luxury that we cannot afford".

"There is an urgency to establish a meritocracy; a society that rewards talent and initiative, promotes social mobility and gives everyone an equal chance to develop their potentials and seize opportunities. We cannot avoid this task, so, the sooner we ignored distractions and get back to what matters, the better for us all", he cautioned.