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Full Text of President Buhari’s New Year Message to Nigerians
My fellow countrymen and women,
First, I would like to thank and praise the Almighty who saw us through the year 2020 and has given us the opportunity to witness the start of another new year. We especially thank God because the year 2020 was one of the most trying years since our existence as a Nation.
- This can also be said about all other nations around the world, due to the challenges posed on our collective humanity by the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
- While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.
- As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
- We must remember that we also celebrated the historic occasion of our sixty years as an independent and sovereign country on October 1st 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a chance of surviving much longer than a few years.
- Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria will survive and thrive.
- In this journey to nationhood, we have experienced the highs and lows. 2020 indeed came with a lot of challenges ranging from security and economic issues across the regions to understandable protests that were mainly led by our youths and served notice to the demand for police reforms and accountability. This government heard, this government listened and this government is committed to fulfilling the five demands of our youths, fully understanding that we all wish well for Nigeria.
- In the midst of all these challenges, I had initially pledged that as your elected President and Commander-in-Chief, I would ensure that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination and with all the appropriateness and urgency required. Your voices have been heard and we would continue to listen to you, and all the key stakeholders who are committed to the unity of Nigeria to ensure that every region of this nation is safe for us all, while guaranteeing that the future is also secure for the coming generation.
- I wish to also use this occasion of New Year to reaffirm my commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youth who need our collective encouragement and support. In securing this nation we need to secure the future of our youth.
- Our young people are our most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad. Their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all. Many of our young people are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognized as achievers.
- As a Government we are committed to actively engaging with the creative energies of our young people. In this regard, we will partner with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions. This will create vast opportunities in fintech, agriculture, business process startups and in the entertainment industry.
- The year 2021 will indeed be a year where we will work to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria. This administration would continue focusing on delivering key strategic priorities under our “SEA” – (Security, Economy and Anti-Corruption) Agenda. Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include:
ON SECURITY:
- Re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country.
- In line with the current security challenges, we are facing as a Nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara were successfully rescued by our security operatives.
- The professionalism shown by our Security Forces and the collaboration from all stakeholders across both State and Federal Governments that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.
- However, we recognize that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national security and civic wellbeing.
ON THE ECONOMY:
- Our focus is on revamping the economy through the national economic diversification agenda that supports the primary goal of national food self-sufficiency. This has helped reduce the growing food related inflationary figures and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security status during the long months of the pandemic lock down.
- We are also currently rebuilding our national infrastructure base and, in the process, introducing transformation through the rehabilitation, modernization, and expansion of the railway system, national roads and bridges both in rural and urban centres, alongside the airports and seaports.
- The reforms we have put in place in the power sector would guarantee increased efficiency in our drive to significantly expand the generation and distribution of electricity for use in homes and factories.
- As an administration we are currently undertaking a series of special interventions designed to boost job creation and support the entrepreneurial drive of our youths.
- With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce.
- The message to our West African neighbours is that Nigeria is once again fully open for those willing to conduct business in a fair and equitable way.
ANTI-CORRUPTION:
- On the anti-corruption drive of our administration, we have recorded substantial gains so far and this year, we are committed to continuing along the path of eradicating corruption, through collaboration with all the arms of Government to effectively prosecute this fight.
- While we would be working with the Legislature to enact laws that would strengthen this fight, we would also be looking at reviewing some of our laws which would ensure that this fight is more effective. On the part of the executive, we would ensure the diligent and timely prosecution of corruption cases, while appealing to the judiciary to ensure that corruption cases are dispensed with expeditiously.
- The persistence of various forms of violence has meant that in the most affected parts of the country, the fabric of inter-communal harmony woven through years of investment of effort at building trust, mutual respect, and harmony has been threatened.
- Insecurity as a challenge has direct repercussions on our national economic stability, growth, and development, setting us back at critical points through the destruction of public and private investments.
- In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social exclusion, and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference in the quality of life of our citizens.
- I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish. I do not begrudge them their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only the very best for our country.
- Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration.
- As a people, we have shown admirable resilience in the face of every adversity, an unmatched capacity to recover speedily from every setback, an unparalleled generosity of spirit when we resolve our differences, and a constant readiness to invest faith and hope in the destiny we share as a united country built on the diversity of its peoples.
- It is these attributes that underpin the Nigerian spirit of “can do, will do” that gives me hope that we shall yet get to destination and fulfill our calling together, especially with the solid resolutions we are setting in this new year.
- Keeping our country on a forward march is a duty which we all have and share. In this regard, keeping our country safe from a resurgent cycle of COVID-19 as this administration finalizes its plans to procure and efficiently and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, I urge you all fellow citizens to observe strict COVID-19 prevention protocols.
- As your elected President, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire for national prosperity for all demands.
- Long Live the Nigerian spirit of oneness, togetherness, and unity. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I wish you a Happy and prosperous New Year.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Headlines
Gowon Was Used to Execute Unjust War Against lgbo, Should Seek God’s Forgiveness – Ohanaeze
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has faulted recent claims by former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, that the Nigerian-Biafran civil war was not targeted at the Igbo people.
Gowon had said that, rather it was instead the secessionists who revolted against the Nigerian government in 1966.
But Ohanaeze insisted that such claims are not only gross misinformation but also a blatant misrepresentation of historical fact, while describing the representation as an affront to the collective memory and dignity of the Igbo nation.
The apex lgbo group noted that it is a moral obligation to address the pervasive biases and distorted narratives perpetuated by General Gowon, who, as a 91-year-old former military Head of State, was tragically manipulated by colonial powers and the Fulani oligarchy.
In a statement issued on Sunday by a factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze accused General Gowon of failure to protect the lives of Nigerians, especially the Igbos residing in the North during the crisis which led to the civil war.
The statement pointed out that unimaginable atrocities were committed against the Igbo people following the 1966 Northern riots, which pushed them into a position of strategic self-defence, a response to a war they did not initiate against the Nigerian government.
The statement partly read: “The grievous narrative that General Gowon has chosen to propagate must be corrected. History will judge Gowon harshly if he neglects this final opportunity to redeem himself by discarding the military mentality and outdated rhetoric of national unity.
“He must have the courage to disclose the truth about the influences that led him to abandon the Aburi Accord, a peace agreement that could have averted the tragic escalation of the Nigeria/Biafra War.
“Gowon’s military aggression toward the Igbo was not merely a reaction to secessionist desires but a strategically calculated action driven by British economic interests in the oil-rich Eastern region of Biafra and the retaliatory motives of the Fulani oligarchy.
The Igbo body added that God Almighty has granted General Gowon continued life for two significant purposes; first, to surrender to his conscience and seek God’s forgiveness, summoning his moral courage to openly confess his misdeeds and provide an accurate account of the Nigerian-Biafran war; second, to facilitate healing by leading efforts toward reconciliation and reconstruction for the Igbo people.
Ohaneze, however, said: “It is indeed lamentable that Gowon’s recent self-aggrandizing statements, possibly designed to sanitize his image, instead continue to perpetuate a façade that insults the deeply felt grievances of the Igbo nation.
“Rather than embrace this moment for personal and national healing, he has insulted the memories of the three million innocent Igbo civilians who lost their lives during the civil war.
“His military pride and an oath of silence have tormented him for over five decades, leading to a deeply personal struggle that he must now confront.
”Ohanaeze’s unwavering advice to General Gowon is straightforward and urgent; as time passes, he must cease his evasive tactics, confront his conscience, and abandon the falsehoods surrounding this grave chapter of Nigeria’s history.
“With only limited time remaining, it is imperative that he speaks the unvarnished truth and seeks forgiveness from the Igbo people and Nigerians at large.
“The curses resulting from the atrocities committed, such as the Asaba massacre, and the tragic toll of three million lives must be lifted.
“The painful repercussions of Gowon’s actions continue to resonate today, affecting even communities in the Middle Belt, where violence perpetrated by Fulani militias persists.
“This is a poignant moment for his associates to create yet another opportunity for him to come forward, unburden himself, and speak the truth.
“The world is watching and waiting for General Gowon to rise to the occasion for the sake of posterity,” the statement added.
Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has described Nigeria’s lingering insecurity as a problem created and sustained by the country’s elite.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting themed ‘Dialogue on Community Policing as a Panacea for Insecurity in Nigeria: The Case of Plateau State’, Mutfwang said the elite have contributed to deepening communal divisions and must take responsibility for reversing the trend.
“My theory is that, more than anybody else, the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria are an elite-created problem. When the elite conspires to lead the people in the wrong direction, we will continue to have this perennial crisis,” he said.
He noted that while the “poisoning of minds” may often start at the community level, the elite have the power to halt such narratives—if they choose to.
“Many a time, you’ll find that even when the poisoning of the mind begins in the community, when the elite take leadership and say it must stop, they’ll address it adequately and it will stop.
“But when the elite fan the embers of hate, they are the people that do their analysis, that begin to spew knowledge, information, and poison the minds of ordinary people—then it will be sustained,” he said.
Mutfwang urged Nigeria’s elite to take greater responsibility in promoting unity and peaceful coexistence.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to dismantling “artificial barriers of faith and ethnicity,” which he argued have long hindered development in Plateau.
“As I stand before you today, I want to reiterate that I came into government with a firm resolve to restore lasting peace to Plateau. That is why I have deliberately sought to bridge the divides we’ve built across religion and ethnicity,” he stated.
Reflecting on his efforts, the governor claimed no administration in Plateau since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 had done more than his in fostering peace and unity.
“Yet, as recent as yesterday, I received reports of being labelled in certain influential circles. Still, I beat my chest and say, without fear of contradiction, that I have done more than any governor since 1999 in building peace and unity on the Plateau,” he added.
His remarks come amid heightened insecurity in Plateau, Benue, and other northern states in recent months.
Former presidential candidate and Labour Party leader, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s trip to Saint Lucia, calling it an ill-timed and insensitive decision in the face of deepening national crises.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Obi said he was “struggling with my senses to understand what is happening to governance in this country.”
Tinubu departed Nigeria on Saturday, and is expected to visit Saint Lucia, attend BRICS summit in Brazil.
“What I have seen and witnessed in the last two years has left me in shock about poor governance delivery and apparent channelling of energy into politics and satisfaction of the elites, while the masses in our midst are languishing in want,” Obi declared.
“Without any twilight, Nigeria ranks among the most insecure places in the world. Nigerians are hungrier, and most people do not know where their next meal will come from.”
Obi expressed disbelief upon learning of the President’s departure to the Caribbean nation, especially coming shortly after what he described as a holiday in Lagos.
It read, “With such a gory picture of one’s country, you can imagine my bewilderment when I saw a news release from the Presidency announcing that President Bola Tinubu is departing Nigeria today for a visit to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.”
Citing a press briefing by Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, Obi noted that the visit included both official engagements and personal vacation.
“According to the Prime Minister’s announcement, ‘two of these days, June 30 and July 1, will be dedicated to an official visit, with the remainder of the trip set aside as a personal vacation,” he said.
Obi said he had initially dismissed the report as unbelievable: “I told the person who drew my attention to the Caribbean story that it cannot be true and that the President is just coming back from a holiday in Lagos.
“I didn’t want to believe that anybody in the position of authority, more so the President… would contemplate a leisure trip at this time.”
The former Anambra governor criticized the President’s failure to personally visit disaster-affected areas, including Minna in Niger State, where over 200 people were reportedly killed and 700 still missing due to flooding.
“This is a President going for leisure when he couldn’t visit Minna, Niger State where over two hundred lives were lost and over 700 persons still missing in a flood natural disaster,” Obi lamented.
He also condemned Tinubu’s recent visit to Makurdi, which he described as politicized.
Obi said, “The other state in crisis where over two hundred lives were murdered, the President yielded to public pressure and visited Makurdi… for what turned out to be a political jamboree than condolence as public holiday was declared and children made to line up to receive the President who couldn’t even reach the village, the scene of the brutal attack.”
Obi drew sharp comparisons between the size and population of Saint Lucia and the Nigerian cities neglected by the President.
“Makurdi is 937.4 Km², which is over 59% bigger than St Lucia, which is 617 km², and Minna is 6789 square kilometres, which is ten times bigger than St Lucia. St Lucia, with a population of 180,000, is less than half of Makurdi’s 489,839 and Minna, with 532,000 is almost three times the population of St Lucia,” Obi quoted his stats in the post.
Calling for leadership anchored in empathy and urgency, Obi said: “I don’t think the situation in this country today calls for leisure for anybody in a position of authority, more so the President, on whose desk the buck stops.
“This regime has repeatedly shown its insensitivity and lack of passion for the populace…”
He accused the administration of prioritizing elites over the masses.
“One had expected the President to be asking God for extra hours in a day for the challenges, but what we see is a concentration of efforts in the 2027 election and on satisfying the wealthy while the mass poor continues to multiply in number,” Obi’s tweet further read.
Concluding his fiery message, Obi urged national reflection and redirection.
He concluded, “Finally, I like to let our leaders know one thing: that the God-given resources of this country belong to all, not to a few.
“The time has come to put a stop to this drift before it consumes all and focus on pulling people out of poverty.”
The Punch
