By Femi Mustapha in Kaduna
The presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Aare Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje, has said Nigeria must build a better nation to honor the sacrifices of its founding fathers as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.
In his Independence Day message on Thursday, Omo-Aje said October 1, 1960, remains the most significant day in Nigeria’s history, when the nation broke free from British colonial rule after years of relentless struggle.
He recalled that the journey to independence was paved by nationalists like Herbert Macaulay, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who put the country’s interests above personal ambition.
According to him, those heroes fought with different ideologies but a common purpose: to give Nigeria a sovereign identity and lay the foundation for a united and prosperous country.
Omo-Aje said that 66 years after the lowering of the Union Jack, the best tribute Nigerians can pay to those founding fathers is to build a nation where peace, justice, and opportunity thrive for all.
He said the current generation owes the heroes a better nation where the labor of the past will not be in vain and where children can be proud of their heritage.
The AA presidential candidate used the occasion to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Cabinet for steering the ship of state at a critical period in the nation’s history.
He commended President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as bold and courageous, and said it is aimed at resetting the economy and restoring Nigeria’s pride of place among nations.
Omo-Aje noted that while reforms may be painful, the President’s commitment to long-term stability and growth deserves understanding and collective support.
He, however, said the 66th anniversary must also serve as a time for sober reflection on the country’s pressing challenges, especially in the areas of the economy, security, and stability.
He said millions of Nigerians are still battling economic hardship, inflation, and poverty, and that true independence must translate into freedom from hunger and economic deprivation.
On security, Omo-Aje said no nation can prosper when its people live in fear, urging the government to intensify efforts to ensure farmers return to their farms, traders open their shops, and children go to school safely.
He stressed that Nigeria’s diversity should be a strength, not a source of division, and that the country’s multiethnic and multireligious composition should foster unity rather than conflict.
He added that Nigeria belongs to all of us; hence, people experiencing poverty should also breathe the air of freedom, noting that independence is incomplete until the commoner enjoys economic inclusion.
Omo-Aje prayed for peace and unity in the country and for divine wisdom for President Tinubu to lead Nigeria through its present turbulence toward a more prosperous and just future.
