A former president of the Nigerian Senate, Senator David Mark, has taken stock of Nigeria’s tortuous journey to nationhood and submitted that the time calls for sober reflections as the country celebrates its 64th independence anniversary.
In a goodwill message to Nigerians, Senator Mark noted that despite the challenges of insecurity, poverty, disease, and general underdevelopment, Nigeria was endowed with human and natural resources capable of changing the tide for good.
This, he said, was achievable if all citizens were patriotic and united with a common mission and purpose.
“Disappointing as the situation may seem, the shortcomings of the past should serve as useful lessons for progress. We must learn from our past mistakes and work towards a better future,” Senator Mark said.
He recalled the 30-month-old fratricidal civil war, occasional ethno-religious conflicts, and the uncertainties surrounding political engagements, saying that all these issues were traceable to inadequacies of leadership as well as citizens’ failure.
Senator Mark cautioned against divisive tendencies and inflammatory statements that have, in recent times, tended to exacerbate the already fragmented atmosphere, adding “Those who exploit our fault lines of ethnicity and religious differences to promote hatred are enemies of the country”.
Despite the challenges, Senator Mark noted that Nigeria had made progress in some areas, pointing out that “though we are not yet where we should be, we are certainly better than yesteryear. This should serve as motivation for us to continue working towards a better Nigeria.”
The former Senate President emphasized that political leaders should lead by example and strive to put the citizens at the centre of their programmes and policies.
He added, “Leaders must prioritize the needs and well-being of the people.”
Senator Mark was optimistic that Nigeria could come out of its current challenges if all Nigerians resolved to bury the hatchet of yesterday.
Read him: “We must unite and work together to address our challenges.”
To further address the challenges of underdevelopment, Senator Mark advocated huge investments in enterprises and production that would improve income and end capital flights.
He stated, “We need to create an environment where everyone can ply his or her trade in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation. We need to be our brother’s keeper at all times. I wish Nigerians a prosperous nation”.
Signed:
Paul Mumeh
Media Adviser to Senator David Mark
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