Chairman of the New Deal Organisation, Prince Daniel Kanu, has attributed Nigeria's persistent challenges to the failure of good values and principles across society. According to him, the country's problems cannot be solved through politics, strikes, and constant finger-pointing. Kanu made this statement in an Independence Day message, where he emphasized the need for Nigerians to look beyond the government for solutions and accept their own responsibility for rebuilding the country.
Kanu described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 66th anniversary address as sincere and progressive, urging Nigerians to support legitimate institutions and leadership while playing their part in fixing the country. He also questioned the three-day warning strike announced by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) over demands it said the government had failed to meet by September 30, 2026. Kanu argued that some of the people who should be working within the system to help fix Nigeria's systemic problems are instead going on strike.
According to Kanu, Nigeria's development is being undermined by the absence of values including integrity, honesty, competence, accountability, compassion, and respect for rules. He emphasized that the solution to Nigeria's problems depends on the deliberate inculcation and practice of values and principles such as integrity, honesty, respect, competence, compassion, empathy, accountability, and customer service. Kanu's statement comes as Nigerians celebrate the country's 66th anniversary.
Kanu acknowledged the hardship facing Nigerians, particularly the less-privileged, but noted that the country's problems did not begin with the present administration and would not be solved by politics or industrial action. He urged Nigerians to take responsibility for building the country, quoting former United States President John F. Kennedy: 'Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country'.
Kanu emphasized that Nigeria's abundant natural and human resources would remain insufficient without responsible citizens and institutions. He urged Nigerians to put the country first and rally around the constitution in the interest of present and future generations. According to him, Nigerians must learn to tell themselves the truth and stop indulging in self-deception.
The New Deal Organisation chairman also faulted the civil servants' decision to embark on a warning strike, saying it is ironic that those who should be working to fix Nigeria's systemic problems are instead going on strike to compel someone else to fix problems that are, in part, within their own areas of responsibility. Kanu's statement is a call for Nigerians to reflect on their role in rebuilding the country.
Kanu's message is a wake-up call for Nigerians to take ownership of their country's problems and work towards finding solutions. He emphasized that the country's problems would not be solved overnight, but with a collective effort to inculcate and practice good values and principles, Nigeria can be rebuilt.
Key points
- Nigeria's problems stem from the failure of good values and principles across society.
- The solution to Nigeria's problems depends on the deliberate inculcation and practice of values and principles.
- Nigerians must take responsibility for building the country and put national interest above ethnic, religious, and political considerations.
