President Tinubu urges Nigerians not to lose hope, saying his administration is addressing past mistakes and missed opportunities and that peace and development will return.

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration more time to complete the programmes and reforms it has embarked upon, assuring citizens that the country is on the path to recovery.

Tinubu made the appeal on Friday during a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja, held as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The President was represented at the ceremony by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who delivered Tinubu’s message to worshippers and Nigerians.

The President acknowledged the challenges Nigeria has faced since independence but urged citizens not to lose hope in the country or the ongoing efforts of his administration.

According to him, the government is working to address what he described as the cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of previous administrations while implementing reforms aimed at putting the country on a stronger footing.

Abbas, conveying the President’s message, said Nigeria had reached a stage of maturity after 66 years of independence, describing the country’s journey as one marked by both challenges and opportunities.

“This anniversary, the 66th, by all accounts signifies Nigeria has come of age. The person of 66 years cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature,” he said.

He acknowledged that the country’s journey since independence had not been without difficulties.

“Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the life and the peace for us to witness this very historic event today,” he added.

‘Peace and Development Are Coming Back’

Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, assuring them that peace and development would return as the government’s reforms continue.

He said citizens should maintain faith in the country despite the economic and social difficulties many Nigerians have experienced.

“The citizens should not lose hope. Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” Abbas quoted Tinubu as saying.

The President also called on Nigerians to pay attention to the direction of his administration, particularly its efforts to tackle longstanding problems.

He maintained that the government was correcting past policy failures and seeking to take advantage of opportunities that had previously been missed.

“The mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past—are being corrected in this particular administration,” he said.

Tinubu: Nigeria Is on the Right Path

Tinubu further declared that Nigeria was on the right path and expressed confidence that the sacrifices made by citizens would eventually yield positive results.

“I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path; that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again,” he said.

He subsequently appealed to Nigerians to give his administration additional time to complete the work it has started.

“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work,” Tinubu said.

The appeal comes as Nigerians continue to contend with the effects of economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system, which have significantly affected the cost of living.

The Federal Government has continued to defend the reforms, arguing that they are necessary to address structural weaknesses in the economy and place Nigeria on a more sustainable growth path.

The 66th Independence Anniversary celebrations are being observed on a relatively low-key basis, with the Federal Government organising religious and civic activities ahead of Nigeria’s October 1 anniversary.