Shagari: ‘We Have Reason to Celebrate’

SECOND Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, yesterday, said Nigeria has reason to celebrate her 51st Independence anniversary.

Shagari said that having overcome several challenges in the past, Nigeria has the capacity to tackle current and future challenges.

He told journalists, shortly after attending the special presidential change of guard at the Presidential Villa, that he disagrees “with those who say we have nothing to celebrate. It is not easy to attain 51 years of age. Mr. President has now gathered a lot of experience. Since experience, they say, is the best teacher, we cannot solve problems without good experience and now Nigeria is not new to these kinds of problems again.”

The former President said that “Nigeria has attained the status of a great nation,” and predicted a bright future for the country.

“We are a great nation. You can only claim to be great when you are confronted with challenges of this nature and you solve them, as we are doing now. I do not think that, having overcome other challenges, these ones will hold us down. We are happy.”

Shagari said he was happy that this year’s celebration was devoid of problems, describing the current security situation in the country as “unfortunate. During our time, we were very lucky that we did not have to contend with this kind of security challenges. What is happening is unfortunate but we shall overcome just the way we overcame all other challenges as a nation.

“In each case when there were problems, we managed somehow to overcome them, and, by the grace of God, there is nothing that will stop us from our progress. Nigeria is progressing whether anybody likes it or not.”

-Vanguard

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