The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, on Saturday called on political and religious leaders to fashion out ways of promoting unity in the state.
The governor also urged the entire citizens of the state to eschew politics of hatred, divisiveness and acts that question their loyalty to Nigeria.
Uzodimma made the call in his broadcast to the people of Imo State on the occasion of the 62nd Independence Day celebration of Nigeria on October 1st, 2022.
According to the governor, ” As we mark this 62nd Independence Anniversary, may it serve as a wake-up call to all political and religious leaders to fashion out ways of promoting our unity.
“We should eschew politics of hatred and divisiveness. We should stop engaging in such acts that question our loyalty to this great nation. Such activities include sponsoring insecurity and promoting separatism.
“We should also resolve to accommodate one another, irrespective of our differences, believing that the God that made it possible for us to find ourselves in one entity called Nigeria, did not make a mistake.
“If we can shun avarice, greed and ethnic irredentism, we will be helping in no small measure in building that nation that guarantees equal opportunities for all. This is the Nigeria which our founding fathers dreamt of and fought gallantly for. Let us first shower our country with the love she needs, and she will in return, surely avail us of the opportunities we desire.
“Let me also use the auspicious occasion of this independence celebration to sincerely congratulate ordinary Nigerians for their resilience these past 62 years. By living in different parts of the country to earn your livelihoods, even in the face of security threats and daunting economic challenges, you have continued to demonstrate your commitment to a united Nigeria. I declare you the real heroes of this independence celebration. You have shown incredible faith in the country. Please, do not despair.
“Yes, some of our expectations have not been met, and as a result Nigeria may not have become the nation we dreamed about at independence. But we must also acknowledge the fact, as Julius Caesar will say that. The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves.
“There is no doubt that we may have squandered many opportunities to make Nigeria great. One of these is the opportunity to make all Nigerians see themselves as true citizens in a country where equity and justice prevail. We have also missed the opportunity to build a resilient economy that guarantees good quality of life for everyone. It is a fact that we still struggle to guarantee the safety and security of all citizens in different parts of the country.
“Inspite of all these shortcomings, the way forward is not to dwell on our failures. Instead, we should make conscious effort to celebrate and be proud of our successes. And they are by no means few. Thereafter, we should use them as a foothold to march on with greater confidence into the future.”
