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‘Mindless act of violence’ – Peter Obi on Kwara killings

The 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent attacks in Oke-Ode, Kwara State, where armed bandits killed many people, including vigilantes and the Baale of Ogbayo. In a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Obi described the development as a “mindless act of violence” that had thrown the country
‘Mindless act of violence’ – Peter Obi on Kwara killings

The 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the recent attacks in Oke-Ode, Kwara State, where armed bandits killed many people, including vigilantes and the Baale of Ogbayo.

In a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Obi described the development as a “mindless act of violence” that had thrown the country into mourning.

The former Anambra state governor stressed the urgent need for a national security emergency, stating that no Nigerian should live in fear in their own home.

He also frowned at the normalisation of tragedy, offering his condolences to the governor and people of Kwara State, as well as the grieving families.

“We cannot continue to normalise tragedy. My heart goes out to the governor and the people of Kwara State. I reassure you that you are not alone,” he wrote.

He prayed for the souls of the departed to rest in perfect peace and for their families to find strength and comfort in their time of grief.

DAILY POST reports that at least 12 persons, including the Baale of Ogbayo, were killed during Sunday morning’s gunmen attack on Oke-Ode community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

‘Mindless act of violence’ – Peter Obi on Kwara killings

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Nigeria at 65: ‘We have not seen the impact of democracy’ – Citizens express mixed feelings

Despite its growing population and abundant resources, Nigeria, sixty-five years after independence, still stands at a crossroad. On 1 October 1960, Nigeria was granted full independence from Great Britain. The country received its Freedom Charter from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen’s representative at the Nigerian independence ceremonies. Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,
Nigeria at 65: ‘We have not seen the impact of democracy’ – Citizens express mixed feelings

Despite its growing population and abundant resources, Nigeria, sixty-five years after independence, still stands at a crossroad.

On 1 October 1960, Nigeria was granted full independence from Great Britain. The country received its Freedom Charter from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen’s representative at the Nigerian independence ceremonies.

Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, announced the country’s independence in his speech read at what was then known as the ‘Race Course,’ alongside Princess Alexandra and Sir James Robertson on October 1, 1960.

The country stepped into the light of independence, bursting with the promise of oil wealth, unity, and prosperity. However, 65 years later, it still drives through the challenges of poverty, corruption, insecurity, and infrastructure deficits demanding attention.

In this report, Gift Oba captures the voices of everyday Nigerians, sharing their candid reflections on the country’s progress, fears, and hopes for a brighter future.

Speaking from the streets of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, a fabric merchant, Kehinde Peters, said that instead of celebrating, the nation should consider the sacrifices made by past heroes to ensure that their efforts were not in vain.

Peters urged leaders of the country to set their priorities right and advocated for true democracy in order to save Nigerians from the immense suffering they are currently going through.

She said, “My question is, what exactly are we celebrating? Are we celebrating the corruption? Are we celebrating the insecurity? Are we celebrating the pain of the masses, or are we celebrating the success of selected few politicians? If we were to talk about growth, yes, growth is actually a process, but can we actually say 65 years later we are bold and we are proud of who we have become?” she asked.

“I don’t think we can answer that question honestly. So my opinion is we should just reflect, reflect on the labour of our heroes past, just like our former national anthem.

The government should set their priorities right, not just on paper now, but they should get on the street. If we say we are practicing democracy, then they should get on the street and know what exactly works for the masses.”

She maintained that the government does not lack policies or agendas but lacks proper implementation.

Also, Kayode Abiodun, a comedian and social media influencer, stated that the country, although being 65, still has its citizens laboring and groaning over the effect of economic hardship.

He opined that despite this, the country must celebrate its growth even if it’s not where it ought to be, urging the Tinubu-led administration to fasten its processes in easing the burden of the masses.

“We are still looking up to the president to do more because, I must tell you, at this point of celebrating 65 years, we’re still laboring, everyone is still groaning, we feel the pain of past success we ought to have achieved by now.

“Although when we give birth to a baby, that is not when the baby walks. It takes a process, and we believe in the processes of the government, so we urge the president to see the need to fasten the process so at least we can laugh at the end.”

Similarly, a nightlife entrepreneur identified as Evans Osagede argued that Nigerians were yet to see the effects of democracy, urging all levels of government to prioritize the needs of the people.

“Well, though we have not really seen the impact of democracy in this country, glory be to God we are still growing, and I believe and hope that tomorrow Nigeria will be better. So we are all trying our possible best and do our own part for Nigeria to be a great nation.

“One thing that I will ask the government to do for us is to at least prioritize us, the masses, we actually matter. They should make sure that they do their possible best to make sure business owners are doing well and growing.”

He lamented that, unlike in the past, Nigerians are no longer excited about celebrating the independence anniversary and expressed optimism that things will get better, exhorting all to contribute to the country’s advancement.

“We would keep celebrating the country; it’s something we can’t stay away from whether it’s worth it or not. But unlike in the past when we used to get excited about it, now even if October 1st comes, nobody will be so crazy about it like we used to in the past.”

However, Akinpelu Akintayo, Executive Director of a non-governmental organization, The Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), while conceding that the health sector has witnessed substantial benefits since the minister restructured health funding, insisted that further work was required.

He outlined that the health sector was still unable to provide enough care and was losing its workers, urging the nation’s leaders to take this as an opportunity to reflect on how well it has performed.

His words: “It’s a time of reflection, so the question Nigerians should ask is, how can we plan 65 years and what can we do better? I must say that for the health sector, there’s been a lot of improvement in the way we do things, and I know that earlier this year the minister of health restructured health finances in a way that is more coordinated. However, there are still a lot of things to be done.

“We still have situations where our health system is unable to deliver appropriately, we see a lot of citations by health workers, and it is not the best for us. Our government should be deliberate about ensuring that they retain the health workers in one way or the other, ensuring that our health system is also well built. A lot has been done to primary health care, but more should be done at the secondary and tertiary level in a way we can aid demands of Nigerians.”

Speaking on policy creation, he emphasized that developing policies is crucial, but leaders must also prioritize effective implementation and follow-up actions to ensure their success.

Nigeria at 65: ‘We have not seen the impact of democracy’ – Citizens express mixed feelings

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Independence Anniversary: Tinubu unmoved as hunger, bandits killing Nigerians – Atiku

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of neglecting the welfare and security of Nigerians despite worsening hunger and rising insecurity across the country. In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Atiku described the situation as “tragic,” noting that millions of citizens have been reduced to “refugees and beggars
Independence Anniversary: Tinubu unmoved as hunger, bandits killing Nigerians – Atiku

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of neglecting the welfare and security of Nigerians despite worsening hunger and rising insecurity across the country.

In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Atiku described the situation as “tragic,” noting that millions of citizens have been reduced to “refugees and beggars in their fatherland” despite Nigeria’s vast human and material resources.

He said, “Every responsible government holds the welfare and security of its citizens as supreme. But what we have today is an administration that has abandoned its people. Hunger is killing Nigerians, bandits are massacring communities, yet President Tinubu and his cabinet stand by, unmoved and uncaring.”

The former vice president expressed confidence that Nigerians would have the opportunity to hold the government accountable through the ballot box in the next election.

“At 65, Nigeria remains a giant moving painfully slow on feet of clay, a direct result of decades of poor leadership and wasteful governance,” he said. “Nonetheless, with the right leadership, our dear country can still rise from the ashes of failed governance to reclaim its rightful place among the comity of nations.”

Independence Anniversary: Tinubu unmoved as hunger, bandits killing Nigerians – Atiku

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Independence Day: Nigeria now has access to better education, healthcare – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigeria today has better access to education and healthcare than in 1960 when it got her independence. The president stated this on Wednesday during his nationwide broadcast to mark the country’s 65th independence anniversary. According to him, even though it is much easier for those whose vocation is to
Independence Day: Nigeria now has access to better education, healthcare – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigeria today has better access to education and healthcare than in 1960 when it got her independence.

The president stated this on Wednesday during his nationwide broadcast to mark the country’s 65th independence anniversary.

According to him, even though it is much easier for those whose vocation is to focus solely on what ought to be, there is need to recognise and celebrate the nation’s significant progress.

“Nigerians today have access to better education and healthcare than in 1960. At Independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools with a student population of about 130,000.

“Available data indicate that, as of year 2024, there were more than 23,000 secondary schools in our country,” he said.

The president further stated that at Independence, the country had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology as the two tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Independence Day: Nigeria now has access to better education, healthcare – Tinubu

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Nigeria at 65: Mbah urges optimism, says end will vindicate Tinubu’s economic policies

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has urged Nigerians to hold fast to optimism and unity in the face of present challenges, assuring that the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu Administration and citizens’ huge sacrifices would ultimately pay off if the nation stayed the course. Mbah said that while the anniversary may
Nigeria at 65: Mbah urges optimism, says end will vindicate Tinubu’s economic policies

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has urged Nigerians to hold fast to optimism and unity in the face of present challenges, assuring that the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu Administration and citizens’ huge sacrifices would ultimately pay off if the nation stayed the course.

Mbah said that while the anniversary may understandably be low-key, it did not obviate Nigeria’s giant strides as an independent nation.

These were contained in his message to Nigerians in the early hours of Wednesday to mark the nation’s 65th independence anniversary. In the message, which he personally signed, the governor congratulated the citizens for “the proud milestone.”

“At 65, our independence is a reminder of what we can achieve as a people when we are united. It is also a reminder that progress demands sacrifice, and that tomorrow is shaped by the choices we make today.

“The commemoration of our 65th independence anniversary may understandably be low-key, but the significance of the strides we have made as a nation is by no means underwhelming.

“Those strides are manifest in the remarkable achievements we have recorded across key sectors. They reflect as well in the bold reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that have brought stability to the Nigerian economy. The sacrifices may be huge today, but there is no doubt that the end will vindicate the decisions if we stay the course.

“As we raise our flags today, let us renew our covenant to Nigeria; let us embrace the spirit of unity, and let us uphold the optimism that has carried us this far,” he stated.

Mbah, while also recommitting to his administration’s inclusive development model that leaves no one behind, maintained that Enugu State, under his watch, was on the path of turnaround and exponential economic growth.

“In Enugu State, this Independence Day is a fitting occasion to recommit to our pledge to make inclusion the cornerstone of government policy; to create wealth and deploy it for the benefit of everyone in Enugu State. We are staying the course. And no one will be left behind.

“From moribund assets roaring back to life, to Ndi Enugu enjoying a resounding sense of security of lives and property, our children transitioning to 260 Smart Green Schools, our rural communities accessing modern healthcare courtesy of our completed or ongoing 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres, Ndi Enugu commuting conveniently and affordably via our modern transport system and infrastructure, Enugu State is no doubt on the pathway to assured turnaround and exponential economic growth,” he added.

Nigeria at 65: Mbah urges optimism, says end will vindicate Tinubu’s economic policies