President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria has corrected its course and passed through its own Red Sea, urging citizens not to look back.
Mr Tinubu stated this in his Independence Day broadcast on Thursday to mark the country’s 66th anniversary.
“Nigeria has corrected its course. We have passed through our own Red Sea. This is not the time to look back. Let us go forward together, with faith in ourselves, faith in our country, and faith that the sacrifices we have made will yield their reward,” Mr Tinubu said.
He said the nation ahead is one of abundance and opportunity where prosperity is broadly shared.
“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.
“Our destination is in sight. Our foundations are strong. Our direction is clear. So let us go forward. No looking back,” he added.
“I want to see more Nigerians making things. I want to see more Nigerian farms feeding our cities and supplying our factories. I want to see Nigerian businesses selling Nigerian goods to the whole world. I want young Nigerians building unicorns and creating opportunities for others here at home. I am also conscious that millions of our fellow citizens cannot wait for tomorrow.”
He acknowledged that some Nigerian families still struggle today for the next meal, the next school fee, the next medical bill, or simply enough money to get to work.
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He said their circumstances did not begin with the reforms of the last three years.
Mr Tinubu had earlier defended his reform agenda, saying the removal of fuel subsidy and other measures did not create the weaknesses in the economy but confronted them.
“Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient opportunity and institutions that too often failed those who needed them most.
“We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course. We can build an economy that steadily lifts people out of poverty while ensuring that those who remain vulnerable are not abandoned along the way,” Mr Tinubu said.
