President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, saying the difficult period of sacrifices will soon give way to better times.
Tinubu spoke ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day anniversary, which will be celebrated on October 1, 2026.
The President, who was represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, made the remarks during the Independence Day Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja on Friday.
Tinubu acknowledged that Nigeria had not yet reached where it should be but said the country was moving towards greater development.
He urged Nigerians to support the reforms of his administration, saying they were aimed at putting the country on the right path.
Abbas conveyed the President’s message during the prayer service.
He said Nigeria’s 66th anniversary showed that the country had reached a mature stage after decades of independence.
“This 66th anniversary, by all accounts, signifies that Nigeria has come of age. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey, from Independence to date, we would say it was a misfortune.
“Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past, and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the lives and peace for us to witness this very historic event today.”
The President urged Nigerians not to lose hope, saying he expected peace and development to return to the country as his administration continued with its reforms.
“My message to the country on behalf of Mr President is that people 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 said.
Tinubu also said citizens should consider what his administration was doing to address problems inherited from previous governments.
“Citizens should look at the focus of the government of today: that the mistakes of the past, the cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of the past, are being corrected in this particular administration.
“And I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path…”
Abbas further appealed to Nigerians to give Tinubu more time to complete the programmes his administration had started.
He said Nigerians had made significant sacrifices and should remain hopeful about the country’s future.
He urged citizens to give the administration a second chance to “finish the work he has started”, adding that Nigerians “have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again.”
Among those who attended the prayer were Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin; Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago; Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo; and Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, among other dignitaries.