The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Monday, October 3, as a public holiday to mark Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day anniversary.
This was announced in a statement by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the minister of interior, on behalf of the federal government on Wednesday.
Aregbesola, in the statement, noted that though the country is going through challenges, Nigeria is defined by the greatness of the Nigerian people in their diversity, strength, ingenuity, and resilience.
He, therefore, assured Nigerians of the government’s commitment to tackle all the challenges facing the nation.
What the minister of interior is saying
The minister urged Nigerians to join hands with the present administration in order to ensure a better Nigeria for all citizens, both at home and abroad.
“The world is going through dire economic and security challenges, which have also affected our nation. However, I am assuring us all that the government will not abandon the people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at our disposal until respite comes our way.
“Our warm, welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope. If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potential, we shall be the greatest nation on the earth.
“A country of over 200 million people whose natural talents, grit, and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are; Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in the academia, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion or culture.
“Though our nation is going through challenges, especially on security, these challenges are temporary and do not define us. We are defined by the greatness of the Nigerian people in our diversity, strength, ingenuity, and resilience.
“We shall overcome all the challenges. A time is coming when we shall look at this period in retrospect and give thanks to the highest for the stormy waters we have waded through and the triumphs we have recorded over the challenges that look so huge and gargantuan today,” The statement reads.
