Nigeria’s continued existence as one country is the result of sacrifices made by generations of ordinary citizens, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma said at a Thanksgiving Mass to mark the nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
Speaking Sunday at Assumpta Cathedral in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Uzodimma said Nigeria had endured civil war, military rule, economic hardship and political crises that repeatedly raised questions about its future.
“Yet Nigeria is here,” he said.
“After 66 years, despite everything we have been through, we remain one country,” he added.
“That survival”, he said, “did not happen by accident,” but reflected the sacrifices of Nigerians whose contributions would never be recorded in history books.
The Governor acknowledged that recent economic adjustments had imposed significant costs on households and businesses.
While describing the policies as necessary, he said government had a responsibility to ensure that the sacrifices produced meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
He also argued that national leadership extended beyond the offices of the president, governors and other public officials.
Leadership, he said, begins in homes, families, communities, churches, schools and marketplaces.
“We cannot throw refuse into the drainage and then complain when our streets are flooded,” Uzodimma said.
“We cannot break traffic rules whenever we think nobody will stop us and still complain that ours is a lawless society,” the Governor added.
He urged Nigerians to reject dishonesty in everyday life, including cheating customers, exploiting workers and celebrating wealth obtained through fraud.
The Governor said his remarks were not intended to excuse government failures.
Public officials, he said, must still be held accountable for the way they exercise authority.
He, however, added that those who occupy public office emerge from the same families, schools and communities as the citizens they govern.
“If you employ people and they work honestly for you, pay them fairly,” he said.
“If you are a trader, do not cheat your customer because you think you can get away with it”, Uzodinma said.
The Governor said Nigeria’s future depended on the conduct of its citizens as well as the quality of its leaders.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us,” he said, urging Nigerians to accept responsibility for the country’s direction.
“If we lead well where we are, we make it easier for Nigeria to be led well,” he added.
He prayed for wisdom and humility for public officials and for Nigerians to have the courage to act responsibly even when they were not being watched.
The Governor’s remarks echoed a broader message of unity and civic responsibility delivered at the service by Catholic leaders in Owerri.
Archbishop Lucius Ugorji has also called on Nigerians to reject hatred and renew their commitment to peace, integrity and national development.
Earlier, the Archdiocese of Owerri commended the state government for constructing a flyover near the cathedral, saying the project was appropriate for the status of the church.
The archdiocese, however, appealed to the government to build a suitable fence around the cathedral.
Those present at the service included Deputy Governor Chinyere Ekomaru; Senators Ezenwa Onyewuchi and Patrick Ndubueze; Acting Chief Judge of Imo State Ijeoma Aguguo; members of the state cabinet; Archbishop Ugorji; the Catholic bishops of Okigwe and Orlu; and the Auxiliary Archbishop of Owerri.
