The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has felicitated with staff of the Ministry at home and at the missions abroad and all Nigerians on the occasion of the 66th Independence anniversary of the country, urging them to remain united and patriotic to the nation.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye, in a goodwill message, signed by Richard Elesho and made available to Journalists in Lokoja on Friday described the anniversary as an important moment for deep reflection and reiterated that the principal focus of the Ministry under the Renewed Hope Agenda is to make foreign policy more impactful in the lives of the ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad.
The Minister noted that despite its trajectories, Nigeria has come a long way.
He recalled the civil war, several military coups, and the annulment of the June 12 presidential election as some of the most challenging moments in the nation’s history explaining that the return of democracy since 1999 has restored its position in the comity of nations.
The Minister listed increased trade volumes, growing Foreign Direct Investments, FDI, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Trade Liberalisation Scheme, ETLS, resuscitation of joint commissions and visa waiving agreements for top government officials among the indices helping the country’s economic recovery.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye pointed out at the uniqueness of this year’s anniversary as the one that will “usher us into a general election year” and called on the citizens to deepen democracy by shunning rigging, vote merchandise, and anything capable undermining the electoral process.
“Without any doubt, our diversity is our strength. The more the merrier. There is strength in numbers, our people being our greatest asset. Our unity in diversity must be jealously guided and not allowed to be a source of division or tension. Let us continue to live in love, peace, harmony and mutual respect for one another.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very passionate about the development of our country and the well-being of all Nigerians. The economic reforms of his administration have started yielding fruits. We may not have reached our desired destination yet, but we are on the right path; under him, the country is definitely not moribund.
“I congratulate all Nigerians for witnessing this milestone”. He said.
