The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has expressed the hope that Nigeria will soon overcome its challenges.
Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, noted that Nigeria is on the right track in a message released to congratulate Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 65th independence anniversary.
A statement by the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, quoted Fasoranti, who is also the Asiwaju of the Yorubas, as saying that although Nigeria has experienced a lot of travails, there is the prospect that it will overcome its challenges and come out strong and great soonest.
The optimism was hinged “on the grace of God, the never-die-spirit of Nigerians, the resources with which the country is endowed, the determination that the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu is deploying towards concretizing Nigeria’s developmental strides on the crest of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration”.
The Afenifere leader noted that positive impacts of the policies of the Tinubu government are already being felt, adding that more a concrete effect of the policies would be felt from the tail-end of this year.
“For instance, the economy is expected to pick up better in the New Year going by the signs that are already manifesting and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
“Also, significant improvement is expected on security, especially with the expected take-off of the state police in which the government is showing a lot of seriousness”.
The statement urged the state governments to let local government councils breathe more freely as the country goes into the 66th year of independence, “so that the people at the grassroots can feel the impacts of government better and more effectively”.
The body expressed fervent hope that the Tinubu administration continues to pursue inclusive growth, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure that no Nigerian is left behind in the development process.
It added that efforts need to be strengthened to reign-in banditry and other forms of insecurity in different parts of the country – including the South-West.
Fasoranti called on Nigerians to, in line with the theme of this year’s independence anniversary which is ‘All Hands-on Deck for a Greater Nation’, “join hands together to collectively uplift the country”.
The statement called for “an urgent restructuring of the country as it appears to be the most feasible way to tackle the myriads of challenges we are facing as a country thus actualizing the visions of our founding fathers”.
