Fellow Nigerians:
1. Today marks the 54th anniversary of our
country’s independence as a sovereign nation. This is
also the tenth month of our journey into a new century,
having marked the centenary of our nation in January
this year.
2. The first one hundred years were marked by
triumphs and tribulations, benefits and burdens,
opportunities and challenges. We made some far
reaching advances in building a strong, united and
prosperous nation. We also overcame the forces of
disunity that culminated in a debilitating civil war. We
have also renewed our faith in one another, and in our
country. We have proven that we are truly a resilient
nation.
3. In my address to the nation last year, I did
emphasize that we were in a sober moment in our
country. We are still in that mood in spite of the many
accomplishments of our administration. Our sombreness
has to do with the crises of nationhood occasioned by
the activities of terrorist elements who have done the
unimaginable to challenge our unity as a people.
4. On an occasion like this, it is important that
we remember all the precious souls that have been lost
in the unprecedented war of terror unleashed on some
parts of our country by these individuals who want to
compel us to live our lives their way. They will not
succeed!
5. In their mission, they have maimed and
raped. They have killed men, women and children,
rendering many children orphans and several women
widows.
6. They have made violence their ideology and
are bent on destroying our country. Dear countrymen
and women, we will not allow them.
7. Night after night, day after day, our security
forces continue to engage the terrorists in battle. My
gratitude goes out to our armed forces whose will has
been greatly challenged by this insurgency more than
any other time, since the civil war.
8. Yet, they have remained undaunted and
unwearied in the face of constant challenge and mortal
danger. Driven by patriotic zeal, they are turning the
tide by their prowess and determination. As
Commander-in-Chief, I will continue to do all it takes to
enable them to keep on inflicting devastating blows at
the heart of terror. Fellow Nigerians, it is our collective
duty as patriots to avail our men and women in uniform
of all the support they need to fight and win this war.
9. This Administration is committed to making
Nigeria safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of our places
of birth, how we worship God and our political
persuasion. To all those waging war against our
country, I ask that you lay down your arms and
embrace peace.
10. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm
that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your
grievances to the table of dialogue. To the good people
of Nigeria, let me restate that our task of building a
better and greater country must not waver.
11. While we continue to deploy our resources in
the fight against the terrorists, we do recognize the
great toll the conflict is taking on our people.
12. This is why, to assist the afflicted, we have
launched the Victims Support Fund, an independent
multi-sectoral charity, which will aggressively solicit
resources to augment Government’s statutory
intervention, in bringing succour to the injured, the
displaced and the bereaved.
13. In partnership with Nigerian business leaders
and international partners, we have also introduced the
Safe Schools Initiative which is aimed at promoting safe
environments for education nationwide, starting with the
North East region.
14. The Presidential Initiative for the North East, a
comprehensive programme to fast-track the economic
restoration of this region, which has been the epicentre
of terrorist activity, has been set up.
15. Our overall objective is to do all we possibly
can, to sustain in the North-East, the momentum of
economic advancement, which is on-going in other
parts of the country, despite the machinations of the
terrorists and their sponsors.
16. It should now be clear to anyone who was ever
in doubt that these terrorists do not mean well for
anyone, of whatever religion or dispensation. Their
persistent choice of the weakest and most vulnerable in
society, for gruesome attack, provides an insight into
their abnormal mind-set.
17. I urge every Nigerian to put aside political,
sectional or other parochial considerations, and support
whole-heartedly the efforts of the government and the
military, in checking this evil.
18. We are grateful to the international community,
and especially our neighbours who are working closely
with us in confronting this challenge, for their increased
partnership and solidarity. Our steady progress in
weakening the insurgency has certainly justified our
cooperation.
19. Fellow Nigerians, in my independence
anniversary address last year, I informed you that we
had taken cognizance of the suggestion over the years
by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to focus
attention on rebuilding and strengthening the ligaments
of our union. It was in that regard that we announced
the convening of a National Dialogue on the future of
our beloved country.
20. We have successfully delivered on that promise
as we established the 2014 National Conference headed
by Justice Legbo Kutigi. After months of deliberations,
which did not come without its challenges, the
conference concluded its assignment and has handed its
Report to me.
21. I have made a firm commitment that we would
act on the recommendations of the conference. This, I
have started by setting up the Ministerial Committee
headed by the Honourable Attorney General of the
Federation to work out the modalities for implementing
the Report. Every promise I make, God willing, I will see
to its fulfilment. I assure you, we shall implement the
report.
22. One major lesson which the 2014 National
Conference has taught us as a country is that, a multi-
ethnic country like ours, must learn to embrace
painstaking dialogue until consensus is established.
23. To me, the National Conference is the greatest
centenary gift to our country that we must cherish and
sustain.
24. Fellow Nigerians, our 54 year-journey as a
nation has not been easy. There have been tough
periods, but the Nigerian spirit and the unflagging
resilience of our people have seen us through. We will
continue to march forward to greater heights.
25. We have been able to sustain a big, strong and
influential country with a robust economy. We are
currently in our sixteenth year of uninterrupted
democratic rule, daily improving on the consolidation of
our democratic process.
26. Our Administration has made a commitment to
ensure that we build and sustain a democratic
infrastructure anchored on free and fair elections.
International and local observers have attested to the
positive evolution of electoral credibility and we cannot
afford to relent.
27. We will continue to ensure that the will of the
electorate prevails so that political leaders would be
reminded at all times that there is a day of reckoning
when they have to go back to the people at the polls.
Election days must not be days of violence and death.
We must remain vigilant to ensure that our electoral
process is characterised by peace, security and
transparency.
28. I enjoin the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), all security agencies, politicians
and the electorate to work conscientiously and
peacefully, together, to consolidate on the gains of the
recent elections. Free and fair elections have come to
stay; nothing else will be acceptable to our people.
29. My dear countrymen and women, occasions
such as this present an opportunity to thank God for
our country and to report to you, on our journey so far.
30. Our power sector reform is on course with the
ultimate objective of generating enough electricity to
power our homes, industries and businesses. We are
making giant strides in the Agricultural Sector which we
are re-positioning to diversify our economy. We will
continue to upgrade our infrastructure to make life
easier for all and create an enabling environment for
enterprise to flourish.
31. Over the last four years, the implementation of
the Nigerian Content Act in the Oil and Gas Sector has
ensured major increase in the participation of indigenous
Oil and Gas companies in the industry. Several critical
infrastructure projects have been commissioned and
commenced. The level of indigenous asset ownership
has greatly increased and utilisation of Nigerian-owned
and built assets such as marine vessels and rigs is
being progressively enforced.
32. There has been maximised local value addition
by encouraging the manufacture of equipment
components and parts within the country. There has
also been massive growth in indigenous participation in
the provision of goods and services to the upstream
sector from 10% to 60% within the last four years.
33. Today, following the rebasing of our economy,
every international monitoring and ratings agency now
acknowledges Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa,
with a Gross Domestic Product of five hundred and ten
billion dollars ($510 billion) which also places us as the
26th largest economy in the world. This is progress.
34. Earlier in the year, we launched the Nigeria
Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the National
Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) with the
stated objective of fast tracking inclusive growth, job
creation, enterprise development and industrialisation.
35. The success of these policies is already evident
in the increased value addition in the agricultural and
manufacturing sectors.
36. In line with our objective of encouraging the
production of made-in-Nigeria vehicles and making
Nigeria a regional hub for the automobile industry, a
number of foreign auto manufacturers have established
plants in Nigeria, complementing the laudable efforts of
our local vehicle manufacturers who have also
demonstrated great innovation and competitiveness.
37. We have also launched a special support
programme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
with an initial intervention fund of two hundred and
twenty billion naira (N220 b). This is in addition to the
Presidential Job Creation Board which I inaugurated
recently with the charge to create three million jobs
annually.
38. In demonstration of our Administration’s
commitment to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, we
have commenced the new mortgage re-finance
programme with the establishment of the Nigerian
Mortgage Re-finance Company. It is expected that, in
addition to creating additional housing units across the
country, this initiative also represents a huge job
creation opportunity.
39. We have recorded notable success in the social
sector. Nigeria has been globally acknowledged for
reducing extreme hunger by more than half, with the
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) formally
presenting the country with an award for achieving the
Millennium Development Goal on Hunger three years
ahead of the 2015 target date set for the Millennium
Development Goals.
40. This progress is as a result of the deliberate
policy of government to increase capacity in our
agricultural sector of which the first step was to
address and eliminate the graft in our fertilizer
procurement system and ensure that the product gets
directly to the farmer. We are expanding our irrigation
infrastructure to ensure that our farmers have sufficient
water supply for dry season farming.
41. A benefit of these combined actions is that our
national food import bill has declined from 1.1 trillion
naira (6.9 billion dollars) in 2009 to 684.7 billion naira
(4.35 billion dollars) by December 2013, and continues
to decline.
42. Modern hybrid schools are being provided for
less privileged children across the country, resulting in
significant increase in the national school enrolment
figure
43. In order to further enhance access to education
at the tertiary level, fourteen new Federal Universities
have been established; and, to encourage persons of
exceptional abilities, our Administration has also
introduced a Presidential Scholarship Scheme based
strictly on excellence and merit.
44. On infrastructure, we are building roads, bridges,
and new rail lines to make it easier to traverse Nigeria
and increase the integration of our people and our
ability to do business with each other. In this regard, we
have commenced the process of building the Second
Niger Bridge. The Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue
in Nasarawa and Benue States, will significantly reduce
travel time by road between Northern and Southern
Nigeria. The on-going dredging of the River Niger up to
Baro in Niger State is opening up large parts of the
Nigerian hinterland to maritime activity.
45. The Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro-electric power
projects are on course, and the Kashimbilla dam which
we started a few years ago, is nearing completion. The
successful privatisation of our power sector will in the
long run enhance industrial growth. Policies such as
this and others have raised Nigeria to the enviable
status of being the number one recipient of Foreign
Direct Investment in Africa in the past year.
46. The result of this infrastructure drive is that two
and a half million jobs have been created over the past
two years. This is a record, which we are committed to
improve upon to continue to provide jobs for our youth.
47. An unprecedented number of Airports across the
country, are not only being reconstructed at the same
time, but being re-equipped and reassessed with
emphasis on maintaining global standards.
48. Fellow Nigerians, the goals we set to achieve for
our country involve expanding the frontiers of economic
freedom. Let us therefore unite with one heart and one
mind. All our people must have access to the good
things of life. All our people must be empowered to
pursue the gift of life with happiness. This is our
country; we must build it for our common posterity.
49. As we move into an election year, desperate
moves to overheat the polity are becoming a regular
occurrence. Our political leaders in particular must know
that the contest for power should not translate to the
destruction of the polity.
50. The contest for the leadership of our country
must yield good governance, and not ungovernable
spaces. The love of country should rank higher than our
individual ambitions.
51. We must remain committed to a united and
indivisible Nigeria within democratic parameters. The
protection of individual rights, liberty, equality before the
law, freedom of thought, and a progressive pursuit of a
sound economy must be our goal.
52. I cannot end this address without commenting
on the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which was
sadly brought into our country recently. My directives to
the Federal Ministry of Health saw the ministry leading
the charge in curtailing the spread of this deadly
scourge and managing its impact. This is how it should
be: swift, effective and comprehensive action in defence
of citizens.
53. It must be pointed out that the Ebola battle is
still raging elsewhere in our sub-region. I therefore
enjoin all our citizens to continue to adhere strictly to
all the guidelines that have been given by our health
officials to keep Ebola out of our country.
54. I appreciate and welcome the spirit of
collaboration, unity and partnership with which we
confronted the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease. I thank
all Nigerians for working together to prevent what could
have become a major epidemic. I particularly thank the
medical personnel, some of whom made the ultimate
sacrifice.
55. This is the spirit which we must demonstrate at
all times as we face up to our challenges as a nation:
one people, united by a common resolve, in the pursuit
of one common national interest.
56. As we look forward to another year in our
national life, I am more than confident that our
tomorrow will be better than our yesterday and today.
Nigeria has got the human and material resources to
excel and we shall lead the way in that journey to our
manifest destiny.
57. Fellow countrymen, brothers and sisters, in all
our plans, and in all our words and our actions, we
must stand together in love and unity, as one people
under God.
58. We are one people from the womb of one
Nigeria. We are brothers and sisters. We are one family.
We are Nigerians.
59. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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