Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio has congratulated Nigerians on the country's 66th Independence Anniversary. In a statement, Akpabio described Nigeria as "our destiny, our duty, our future." He extended warm felicitations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians everywhere, celebrating the gift of nationhood and the enduring promise of the country. Akpabio noted that 66 years ago, Nigeria's national flag rose to proclaim the birth of an independent nation, with hopes of freedom, dignity of self-government, and the conviction to shape its own destiny.
Akpabio honoured Nigeria's founding fathers and the generations whose courage, labour, and sacrifice made the anniversary possible. He said they handed Nigerians a country to cherish and a future to build. Akpabio prayed that Nigerians prove worthy of their faith and that their children inherit a Nigeria greater than the one entrusted to them. He acknowledged that Nigeria's journey has known triumphs and trials, seasons of confidence and moments of uncertainty. However, Akpabio added that Nigerians have continued to strive, create, serve, and believe.
The Senate President noted that Nigeria lives in the farmer tending the soil, the teacher shaping a mind, the entrepreneur creating opportunity, and the young person daring to dream. He said it lives in Nigeria's music, enterprise, hospitality, and the achievements of Nigerians across the world. These, Akpabio said, are daily expressions of the spirit Nigerians celebrate. He emphasized that the country's diversity enriches its inheritance, and across languages, cultures, and faiths, Nigerians belong to one national family.
Akpabio urged Nigerians to renew their affection for one another and remind themselves that the green-white-green shelters them all. He said the peace they preserve together is the foundation of the future they seek. The Senate President saluted Nigeria's Armed Forces and security agencies, especially those whose lives were given in service to the country. He remembered their families with gratitude and honour, noting that their sacrifice gives solemn meaning to the freedom and unity Nigerians celebrate.
Akpabio assured that the National Assembly remains committed to supporting efforts that strengthen the nation and improve its people's lives. He said this is as President Tinubu leads the country through this chapter. The Senate President prayed that the anniversary renews Nigerians' shared resolve to serve Nigeria with integrity, compassion, and devotion. He added that independence is an inheritance renewed by every generation and urged Nigerians to celebrate with grateful hearts.
Akpabio extended hands of friendship and encouraged Nigerians to keep faith with the possibilities before them. He said their past gives them perspective, their present gives them responsibility, and their future gives them purpose. The Senate President urged Nigerians to carry the promise of the country into the future together. He wished every Nigerian home God's blessings, guidance for the leaders, and preservation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The congratulatory message from Akpabio came as Nigeria marked 66 years of independence. The Senate President's statement was released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon Eseme Eyiboh. Akpabio's message reflects the resilience and hopes of Nigerians, as well as the country's trials and triumphs. His statement emphasized the importance of unity, love, and belief in Nigeria's future.
Key points
- Akpabio urges Nigerians to celebrate with grateful hearts and extend hands of friendship.
- The Senate President saluted Nigeria's Armed Forces and security agencies for their sacrifice.
- Akpabio emphasized that Nigeria's diversity enriches its inheritance and that Nigerians belong to one national family.
