Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, says the country has exhibited resilience since gaining independence on October 1, 1960.
Tinubu remarked in her message to citizens to commemorate the nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
“As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, we celebrate the remarkable journey of a resilient nation and honour the sacrifices of those who laid the foundation for our freedom.
“Since gaining independence in 1960, we have overcome various challenges, embraced change, and continued to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.” Tinubu stated.
The First Lady urged citizens to continue to live in peace with one another and shun violence or anything that divides the country.
“Our diversity remains one of our greatest assets; we must continue to nurture it through peace, tolerance, dialogue, unity, and love for country. As Martin Luther King Jr. once reminded us, “Love is the most durable power in the world.”
“May we continue to choose love over division, peace over conflict, and hope over despair, as we work together towards attaining the Nigeria of our dreams.
“I pray that Almighty God bless Nigeria, protect our people, strengthen our unity, guide our leaders, and grant our nation enduring peace, prosperity, and progress.
“Happy 66th Independence Anniversary, Nigeria!,” she prayed.
Similarly, the First Lady felicitated older persons in the country as the world celebrates the aged on October 1 every year.
“As the world commemorates the 36th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons with the theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives, we are reminded of our collective responsibility to ensure that older persons are healthy, productive, and dignified.” Mrs Tinubu noted.
“Senior citizens are custodians of invaluable wisdom and experience. They must never be abandoned, ignored, or excluded; rather, they should be supported and given meaningful opportunities to participate in family and community life,” she said.
The First Lady therefore enjoined families not to neglect the aged among them but to cherish and continue to care for them.
“I call on families and communities across Nigeria to continue to value their counsel, learn from their experiences, and strengthen the systems that enable them to age with dignity and continued relevance with adequate social security measures put in place,” she added.
