By Sandra Michaels
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary today, October 1st, citizens have been charged to remain steadfast, united, and deeply committed to the collective task of building a greater nation.
This call to action was championed by prominent members of the National Assembly who spoke ahead of the milestone celebration, describing the Diamond-plus-six anniversary as a poignant moment for sober reflection, thanksgiving, and a renewed commitment to national development.
Leading the congratulatory messages, Representative Nnamdi Ezechi (Delta State) felicitated with Nigerians, noting that despite the multifaceted challenges of nationhood, the country has continually demonstrated remarkable resilience and purpose.
He emphasized that the indomitable spirit of the Nigerian people remains the nation’s greatest asset, while offering prayers for enduring peace, progress, and prosperity across the land.
On his part, Representative Babajimi Benson extended his goodwill to Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora.
He urged citizens to remain law-abiding and to continually add value within their respective local communities. Benson underscored that true nation-building is not the sole burden of government, but a collective responsibility demanding patriotism, hard work, and sacrifice from all strata of society.
Meanwhile, Representative Abubakar Yalleman (Jigawa State) turned the spotlight toward governance, calling on leaders at all tiers of government to be more responsive and deliberate in tackling the pressing needs of the citizenry.
He specifically highlighted critical areas requiring urgent attention, including security, economic stability, youth empowerment, and the delivery of good governance.
While acknowledging that tangible progress has been recorded over the past 66 years of independence, the lawmakers unanimously agreed that significant ground still needs to be covered to make Nigeria truly work for every citizen.
They stressed the imperative of inclusive policies and people-oriented programmes to bridge existing gaps.
In their concluding remarks, the federal legislators implored Nigerians not to lose faith in the Nigerian project. Instead, they encouraged citizens to continually pray for the nation’s success, support constituted leadership, and actively play their part in charting a prosperous path forward.
