Senator Hope Uzodimma, Imo State governor, says there is hope for Nigeria despite the basket full of challenges facing it.
He made the assertion at the Maria Assumpta Catholic Church Cathedral, Owerri, on Sunday during a special church service to mark the 62nd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria.
He noted that all nations have their peculiar challenges “but we must take time to study how countries overcame such challenges and deplore proactive approaches in confronting the challenges of our time.”
“Every generation has a responsibility to confront every challenge that befell them, be it leadership or followership but the common denominator to solve a problem is by identifying the root cause of the problem.” he stated.
The Governor regretted that the attitude of Nigerians has always been to “complain and lament about problems, identifying where things are not going well, but not doing much in planning how things can go well.”
The Governor acknowledged that at 62 Nigeria has come of age and continued to struggle for survival – failures and successes – but said “despite all the challenges that confronted the country, Nigeria and Nigerians still have life and faith in God to continue to drive the Nation.”
He assuaged the fears of the congregation that Nigeria is not making progress saying “in spite of the challenges of leadership, insecurity, poverty and unemployment the country still remains very hopeful and God has been very merciful to all of us.”
While acknowledging that the current and past leaders of Nigeria must have made their mistakes with regard to the mega problems, he however said that the strength and energy are still available to them, particularly as the blessings which God has endowed Nigeria with – natural and human resources – provide hope for tomorrow.
“How many of us are interested in how Nigeria can be better, and if yes what have we done in that direction?”
Drawing inference from Imo State with her peculiar problems, the Governor said: “Leadership came, leadership left but problems are here and there. We should brace-up and confront the challenges of our time.”
He called on the congregation to join hands to solve the problems in Imo State “to allow for peace and people to go about their businesses.”
Governor Uzodimma said there is need to differentiate between the leadership and the political class that have come to work for the people from those that refused to work so that we join hands and forces to support the ones that have come to work, noting, “as a Governor I have come to work.”
He reiterated that “the Independence Anniversary Church Service was to thank God for the peace, unity and development of our country, Nigeria,” and reminded all that “Imo State is held back because of our past mistakes but we cannot die with our past mistakes.” He urged the citizens of Imo State to “begin to do things differently, listen to the Government of the day, find out if her story is good, if yes embrace it for the interest of the State and the country at large because we have no other place to go.”
