Nigerians must dare to dream again of a better future, despite the challenges facing the country, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, has said.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 63rd independence anniversary, Kachikwu lamented the state of the nation, but said that there was still hope for a better tomorrow.
“On a day when Nigerians all over the world and our well-wishers are supposed to say happy Independence Day, many wonder if there is truly anything to be happy about in Nigeria or about Nigeria,” he said.
“As gloom pervades the land, Nigerians bemoan their lack of independence from endemic poverty, corruption, clueless leadership, lack of basic amenities and the insecurity that gets worse by the day.”
Kachikwu said that Nigeria’s leaders had failed the people, and called for a new generation of leaders to emerge who would put the country first.
“Nigeria first was the foundation upon which our forefathers built their dream of a nation of limitless possibilities,” he said. “They envisaged a country that would be a beacon of hope for the negro all over the world. A home to all men and women of goodwill.”
He said that the Nigeria of today was not the Nigeria of their dreams, and called on Nigerians to dare to dream again.
“My dear Nigerians, we have heard it all and we have heard nothing. We have seen it all and we have seen nothing,” he said. “The question therefore remains: is there yet hope for a better tomorrow? Can we dare to dream again? Is there yet a spark in our members that may yet spark a fire of rebirth?”
Kachikwu said that Nigerians had the potential to change the world, and called on them to come together to rebuild the country.
“We need to rise and rebuild,” he said. “We need to build stronger and deeper foundations to sustain the peace and harmony of multiple tribes who have called this geographical space home.”
He said that Nigerians could build a future steeped in excellence, meritocracy, good governance, and the rule of law.
“We will yet fly again,” he said. “We will yet take our place of pride in the committee of nations. We will yet feed our poor and needy. We will grow our economy and build world class infrastructure.”
Kachikwu said that Nigerians could build a country whose people were known as ONE NIGERIA.
“Our government might have failed us but we the Nigerian people can and will do all these if we can dare to dream again,” he said.
