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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm felicitations to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on his 60th birthday, describing him as a dependable partner in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.

In a congratulatory message on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President praised the Speaker, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, for his ‘deep knowledge, wisdom, and openness,’ noting that the House under his leadership has passed several impactful pieces of legislation.

‘Speaker Abbas has displayed uncommon capacity as a leader of equals. His drive for integrity, excellence and selfless service has proved helpful in maintaining stability in the House,’ Tinubu said.

The President also commended the lawmaker’s long-standing service to the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, whom he has represented in the House of Representatives since 2011.

‘I rejoice with the family, friends and associates of this fine lawmaker and leader of men on this milestone. I also congratulate the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State for picking Abbas to represent them,’ Tinubu stated.

The President prayed for many more years of service, good health, and greater accomplishments for the Speaker.

Rivers Hoopers rode a wave of pinpoint shooting from deep to outclass Kwara Falcons 81-61 on Day Three of the ongoing 2025 Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) Phase Two on Tuesday.

Kwara Falcons started hot, drilling back-to-back threes to take an early lead, but once Rivers Hoopers erased a four-point gap to tie the game at 13-13, there was no going back as the KingsMen scored four more to end the first quarter 17-13.

With the defending champions well settled into the game, it didn’t take much time before the team got the crowd rocking in the second quarter. Mustapha Oyebanji scored fourteen (14) of his team-leading eighteen (18) points in the second quarter, shooting four threes to feed the frenzy, as the KingsMen took a fourteen-point lead with the score at 44-30 heading into the halftime break.

The team scored five (5) threes in the second quarter and four (4) in the fourth for a total of twelve (12) overall (the highest total managed by a team in a single game at the ongoing NBPL Atlantic Conference Phase Two).

At the end of the third quarter, the hosts had opened up a twenty-two-point advantage, much to the delight of the energetic crowd, and kept up the tempo to close out the game at 81-61.

Amongst four KingsMen who hit double figures, Favour Komene had a memorable night as the youngster notched fourteen (14) points, with each of his four (4) threes cheered on by the crowd. Captain Victor Koko scored thirteen (13) points, and John Idoga added eleven (11).

In the end, the defending champions put up a performance which was well pleasing, not only to the fans but also to Assistant Coach Ronald Alalibo.

‘I’m pleased, because when you make a mistake, you go back to the drawing board, you see the kind of adjustments you want to make, and you try as much as possible to effect those adjustments to enable you to perform better.

‘So far so good; it’s a learning process. Even in this game that we won, we still saw some mistakes that we made, and we’ll go back to the drawing board to make some more adjustments moving forward because we have to get better each game,’ he said.

Rivers Hoopers next play Comets by 5pm on Wednesday and will look to make it three wins from three Phase Two games.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for the regulation of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) in Nigeria. The event, which was held last Friday in Lagos, had in attendance officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, industry stakeholders, civil society organisations and development partners.

Director-General NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said the initiative was aimed at protecting Nigerians from the harmful effects of trans-fats, which are widely recognised as a major contributor to heart disease and other non-communicable diseases.

Prof. Adeyeye said that the agency must protect Nigerians from invisible dangers in their diets, adding that the strategy is not about penalizing industry, but about transitioning to healthier food systems. ‘We will support industries in reformulation, but compliance is non-negotiable,’ she noted.

On why NAFDAC decided to prioritise TFA regulation at this time, she said the roadmap was rooted in the gazetted regulation on fats and oils published in 2022.

‘Many of us in Nigeria think the more oil in the food, the better it is – no. We must reduce the oils we use in our foods and ensure they do not contain trans-fatty acids or saturated fats, which cause cardiovascular diseases. WHO has shown that almost 300,000 deaths every year are linked to trans-fatty acids. We cannot ignore this,’ she stated.

She disclosed that manufacturers have been given an 18-month moratorium since 2023 to exhaust old labels and packaging stocks, after which new labels will indicate the presence or absence of TFAs. She also stressed that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) would be carried along through capacity-building and awareness programmes.

Trans fatty acids are a type of artificial fat produced through industrial processes such as partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. They are commonly found in baked goods, margarine, fried foods and processed snacks. According to the World Health Organization, TFAs raise ‘bad’ cholesterol, lower ‘good’ cholesterol and are linked to thousands of premature deaths globally each year.

Studies suggest that reducing TFA exposure in populations can avert thousands of premature deaths. For example, research indicates that enforcing stricter TFA limits in Nigeria could prevent about 10,000 heart disease deaths over a decade and save significant healthcare costs.

It was gathered that the roadmap provides for a phased implementation, including an 18-month moratorium granted to manufacturers to exhaust old labels before full enforcement begins on February 1, 2026. The policy also mandates clearer nutrition labelling and sets a limit of not more than two grams of TFAs per 100 grams of oils and fats, in line with international best practices. Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission pledged their support for the implementation. Development partners such as the World Health Organization and Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) also commended the move as a step towards safer food environments.

Industry stakeholders present expressed readiness to cooperate but called for clarity on technical standards and support for small and medium enterprises.

The roadmap, developed with input from a technical working group and validated at a stakeholders’ workshop in 2024, will guide enforcement, capacity building and public awareness campaigns. The overview of this road map was presented by Deputy Director (Food R and R)- Dr Tinuola Akinnubi

By this move, Nigeria joins countries implementing best-practice policies to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from national food supplies, in line with the World Health Organization’s global target.

As an ocean of green and white sweeps across our streets, Independence Day reminds us that this day is not a mere ritual of rejoicing, but a solemn renewal of our covenant as a people.

My thoughts return each October 1 to the words of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in 1960: ‘This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience.we have acquired our rightful status, and Nigeria now stands well-built upon firm foundations.’

His words remain alive today, urging us not to rest in nostalgia but to labour with courage toward the destiny they envisioned.

Independence Day offers Nigeria a rare opportunity to pause and reflect. It is a moment to honour our profound history, but more importantly, to look ahead to the next chapter in our great story.

Despite the challenges of today, I remain optimistic when I consider the strides our country has made since 1 October 1960. Nigeria has grown from a population of about 45 million at independence to more than 237 million which is the largest in Africa and the 6th largest in the world today. We have moved from just a handful of universities in 1960 to more than 260 tertiary institutions today.

Our creative industries are global forces, with Nollywood supporting hundreds of thousands of direct jobs and, by broader estimates, over 1,000,000 direct and indirect jobs, and contributing roughly N1.9-N2.0 trillion to the economy.

Yet optimism alone will not carry us forward. For the twenty-first century will be the African Century, and it is not a question of if, but of when.

The true test is whether Nigeria will rise as the continent’s vanguard or stumble as a colossus with feet of clay. Without justice, scale becomes spectacle; and without equity, abundance breeds misery. Nowhere is this clearer than in the poverty that scars our land.

The National Bureau of Statistics’ Multidimensional Poverty Index revealed that 63% of Nigerians, some 133,000,000 men, women, and children, are deprived of health, education, and decent living standards.

The World Bank confirms that nearly one in three Nigerians live below the global poverty line of $2.15 a day. Humanitarian agencies further warn that about 31 million of our people face acute food insecurity, while a third of children under five suffer stunted growth. These are not abstract figures; they are broken lives, and they demand a national response as urgent as war.

Security remains the greatest test of our generation. Banditry, insurgency, and communal violence have sown terror across our land, displacing millions and crippling markets. United Nations data shows more than 2.3 million Nigerians internally displaced by the end of 2024.

Conflict trackers record thousands of violent incidents that have shattered livelihoods and hope. No nation can prosper while its people live in fear. Peace is not optional; it is the precondition for progress, the anchor of prosperity, and the oxygen of national renewal.

Closely linked to insecurity is Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, which the African Development Bank estimates at over $100 billion. Our power sector is a glaring example. While South Africa generates more than 40,000 MW of electricity, Nigeria struggles with less than 4,853.69 MW on average for a population four times larger. Our roads tell the same story: more than 30% of federal roads are in poor condition, and only 1 in 5 rural communities is linked to an all-season motorable road. Broadband penetration stands at just 45%, far below global averages. This infrastructure gap is not an abstract figure; it is the barrier that prevents farmers from getting produce to market, prevents young entrepreneurs from accessing digital opportunities, and prevents patients from reaching hospitals in time. Infrastructure should be our launchpad into greatness, yet it has become the chain holding us down.

Corruption makes this tragedy complete. When public funds become private spoils, classrooms stay empty, hospitals remain broken, and electricity never flows. Illicit financial flows bleed our treasury of billions that should be building schools, clinics, and power plants. This is not merely inefficiency; it is treason against our future. Nigeria is estimated to lose $18 billion annually to illicit financial flows, funds that could have built hospitals, schools, and power plants. Instead, they are siphoned into private pockets, deepening poverty and eroding trust in government. Corruption does not only weaken our institutions; it undermines the very belief that progress is possible.

However, even in the midst of these staggering challenges, hope is not extinguished. If we can forge peace, everything else becomes possible We can still bend the arc of history if we commit to three urgent tasks. First, to place security at the heart of national renewal: forging a unified, accountable doctrine that integrates military force, intelligence, policing, and community peacebuilding, while safeguarding human rights. Second, to launch an infrastructure revolution which will be financed with transparency, driven by public-private partnership, and executed with the discipline of a nation on a mission. Third, to uproot corruption with finality, ensuring that every naira is traceable, every contract enforceable, and every official accountable, regardless of station.

Above all, we must lift the young. With over 70% of our people under 30, Nigeria’s future stands in classrooms, vocational centres, farms, and tech hubs. We must bind education to enterprise, scale digital and vocational training, and direct meaningful budgetary commitments to youth employment and innovation. This is not welfare. it is the master strategy for national greatness.

On this day, as the words of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa echo in my head, I remain unshaken in my optimism. For Nigeria to take its next great step forward, any government of the future must place security at the very heart of its agenda. Without peace, nothing else can flourish. We must develop a coherent national security strategy, one that unifies the military, police, and intelligence services under a single coordinated doctrine, and equips them with the modern tools of surveillance and response, from drones to satellites, that will allow us to outsmart insurgents and restore peace to our land.

Peace will unlock the infrastructure we so urgently need. It will allow roads and railways to connect our towns and cities. It will enable power grids to light up homes and factories, and digital networks to support a modern economy. It will allow schools to reopen without fear and hospitals to function without interruption. But this will only be possible if we also confront corruption head-on, ensuring that every naira budgeted for development is accounted for. Citizens must be able to track public spending openly, and no official must be above the law.

Nigeria has never shied away from its challenges. Our history is full of obstacles that once seemed insurmountable, yet we overcame them. In each season, we rose because we chose courage over fear, unity over division, and hope over hopelessness. The urgent task before us now is to build a Nigeria where no Nigerian is left behind, and where no community is consigned to despair. If we meet this test, we will awaken the Nigeria of our dreams: a nation where schools and hospitals are beacons of service, where roads and railways stitch our land into unity, where power grids illuminate every home, where digital networks link us to the world, and where we can banish and say a total farewell to hunger and poverty not as slogans, but as lived reality.

This is the true promise of independence. This is the noble vision our founding fathers entrusted to us. This is the vision we must dare, together.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has described unity as Nigeria’s greatest treasure, urging citizens to see it as a source of strength rather than weakness.

Speaking at Ribadu Square, Yola, during Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebration on Wednesday, Fintiri said, ‘Like rivers that flow into one mighty stream, our differences must flow into one shared destiny. A divided Adamawa, like a divided Nigeria, cannot stand.’

He called on Nigerians to renew their commitment to making independence meaningful through visible change.

Highlighting his administration’s achievements in the past six years, Fintiri noted progress in education, healthcare, road infrastructure, and peace-building.

He also disclosed ongoing plans to employ 12,000 youths across ministries, post-primary education, and the health sector.

In the spirit of the celebration, his chief press secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, announced that the governor had granted pardon to six inmates in Adamawa prisons.

The United States Consulate General in Lagos has partnered Ouida Books and the Book Buzz Foundation to launch Iseda, a cultural exchange initiative. The launch, which held at the Ouida Bookstore in Lagos was aimed at fostering collaboration between American and Nigerian creatives while boosting economic opportunities in the arts.

Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate, Julie McKay, explained that Iseda-which means ‘creation’-was inspired by Nigeria’s rich artistic heritage. ‘We kind of went back to the Mbari Club. We’re thinking about a rich Nigerian tradition in culture and the arts-from Fela Kuti to Chinua Achebe to Wole Soyinka-coming together, collaborating, learning from each other, and becoming even more creative,’ she said.

McKay disclosed that the programme will spotlight a different creative sector each month, with fashion set for October and film in November. She added that Iseda would also serve as the kickoff for the U.S. Consulate’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Beyond Iseda, McKay also highlighted other U.S. exchange programmes that support the creative sector, including the American Music Mentorship Programme and the Africa Creative Television Initiative. According to her, six Nigerians participated in the music mentorship program last year, with three already inducted into the Recording Academy, granting them eligibility to vote in the Grammys.

Members of the Pipeline Vocal Project, Molly, Lisa, and Taylor, shared their experiences as cultural ambassadors.

They spoke about the power of music to build bridges across cultures.

‘What’s really cool is we’re able to connect and have a conversation through music. It doesn’t matter our background, but there’s a connectivity there,’ Taylor said.

The group also offered advice to aspiring musicians. Lisa emphasized discipline, Molly encouraged collaboration within communities, while Taylor urged persistence.

‘Never shut up and always keep going. No is not an answer I will take,’ she said.

Reflecting on their stay in Nigeria, the group expressed excitement about incorporating Afrobeats into their music. ‘We’re from Alaska. We would never meet Nigerian artists in Nigeria,’ Taylor noted, underscoring the value of the exchange.

ýThe Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has blamed unnamed ‘saboteurs and selfish political actors’ for fuelling insecurity in the nation’s capital, vowing to crush criminal networks that he said are undermining Abuja’s peace and development.

ýDelivering his 65th Independence Day message on Tuesday, Wike acknowledged that Abuja’s security situation has worsened in recent months, with kidnappings and violent attacks shaking residents’ confidence in the capital’s safety.

ý’This is no time for complacency. Those who profit from chaos or sponsor insecurity to achieve political aims will soon realise that the FCT is not a playground for lawlessness. We are working closely with security agencies to dismantle these criminal rings once and for all,’ the minister warned.

ýWike’s remarks mark one of his strongest indictments yet of what he described as ‘deliberate attempts to embarrass the government and make the FCT ungovernable.’

ýHe urged residents to be vigilant and to report suspicious activities, insisting that security cannot be left to the authorities alone.

ý’We cannot be everywhere at once. Every resident has a duty to safeguard their neighbourhoods. This is a fight for our collective survival,’ he said.

ýWhile celebrating Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary as a milestone of unity and resilience, Wike said the moment also called for sober reflection on how insecurity threatens the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers.

ý’The FCT is the heartbeat of the country, the symbol of our unity. We cannot allow bandits, kidnappers, or their sponsors to tarnish that image,’ he said.

ýThe minister praised residents for backing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said has brought major infrastructural upgrades, including strategic road projects, rehabilitated schools and hospitals, and support for farmers, youths, and women.

ýAccording to the minister, ‘No city can claim greatness without modern infrastructure. We have focused on building roads, upgrading health and education facilities, and empowering small businesses to restore faith in government.’

ýLooking ahead to the February 2026 Area Council elections, Wike cautioned political actors against stoking violence.

‘Campaign for your candidates with decency and vision, not with thugs and weapons. We will not allow anyone to plunge the FCT into chaos,’ he said.

ýWike closed his address with a mix of warning and optimism, ‘We have a President determined to restore security and improve the lives of citizens. The future of Abuja will not be dictated by criminals or their backers. We will fight for this city, and we will win.’

Director General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Dr. John Asein, has reiterated the commission’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for right owners to maximise the return on their creative endeavour, while users are allowed legitimate access in return for their user licence.

This, he said, is provided for in the Commission’s Collective Management Regulations 2025, which seek to entrench accountability and transparency in the collective management system, ensuring that right owners are fairly remunerated and users have a seamless and trustworthy means of clearing rights.

He stated that licensing of public performance rights should be straightforward and driven by good-faith negotiations.

He noted that where disagreements arise, the Act and the Regulations provide for prompt recourse to the Commission’s Dispute Resolution Panel. This mechanism, he said, is available to ensure that disputes are resolved efficiently, without acrimony, and in a way that sustains mutual respect and good business practice.

Dr. Asein spoke at the colloquium on Copyright Licensing of Public Performance Rights to mark African Copyright and Collective Management Day 2025 held in Abuja last Wednesday. The gathering was attended by key stakeholders in the creative sector, including collaborating partners such as the WIPO Nigeria Office, Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria, and Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN), which partnered with the Commission to make the programme possible.

Also at the colloquium were the keynote speaker, the Director-General National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Obi Asika, and the guest speaker, Chief Samuel Alabi, a leading voice in hospitality, among others.

Setting the tone for the session, Dr. Asein said the major focus of the colloquium was the licensing of public performance rights through the collective management system. He stressed that while copyright law grants authors a wide bundle of rights, the right of public performance is among the most intricate, because of its diverse application in user environments.

‘It is also one of the most contested, often prone to misunderstanding and distortion. Our expectation is that the expert presentations and practical perspectives shared here will help us achieve greater cohesion and mutual respect in the licensing of public performance rights,’ he added.

On the Ecosystem and the obligation to comply, he said, ‘There is no doubting the fact that several businesses rely heavily on creative content to enhance their competitiveness and add value-whether in broadcasting, telecommunications, hospitality and tourism, advertising, or even aviation. It is only fair that while they benefit from the creativity of others, they also support the sustainability of creativity by obtaining proper licences.

‘The Copyright Act 2022 makes this obligation clear. Hotels and hospitality businesses must secure licences before publicly performing music, films, or broadcasts. While some may be tempted to cut corners, they must recognise that musicians, recording companies, actors, and film producers deserve to recoup from the secondary use of their works.

When their creations are woven into the ambience of a hotel lobby, a guest room, or a restaurant, they are no less part of the hotel’s commercial attraction than the décor or the service. It is, therefore, a matter of equity that they are fairly compensated.

Cable and broadcasting organisations also carry distinct responsibilities. By transmitting content into homes, hotels, and public venues, and by providing decoders or other devices, they sit at a crucial point in the value chain. The scope of the licence they offer to subscribers must be unambiguous.

A subscription licence does not automatically confer rights of public performance in commercial spaces. Hotels and similar establishments must still obtain performance licences for such uses. This clarity is vital to avoid misuse, ensure compliance, and safeguard the legitimate interests of content creators.’

While identifying lessons from the Courts and global best practice as references, Dr. Asein cited the Federal High Court (Hon Justice Obiora Egwuatu) judgment in the recent case of Reiz Continental Hotel Ltd Vs. Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (on 24th July, 2025), which reaffirmed the position of the law when it declared that:

‘The defendant (i.e, AVRS) is entitled to enforce the rights assigned to it against third parties, including the plaintiff herein (i.e, Reiz Continental Hotel). As a lawful assignee and holder of copyright in various audiovisual works, the Defendant is also entitled in law to grant a copyright licence to the Plaintiff, in respect of use of audiovisual works by the Plaintiff, which would, without such a licence, amount to an infringement of the copyright of the Defendant.

‘That decision has unequivocally affirmed that public performance rights are enforceable and that compliance is not optional. These pronouncements align with jurisprudence in other jurisdictions. Incidentally, the plaintiff in that case, Reiz Continental Hotel Ltd., had approached the court asking, among other things, for a declaration that the AVRS could not demand copyright fees for audiovisual works enjoyed by the hotel as AVRS is not the owner of the works; and that the hotel was only a recipient of the broadcasts by television and radio stations.’

According to him, the Commission had earlier issued a Copyright Advisory warning users of copyright works, especially hotels and other businesses in the hospitality business, to regularize their operations by obtaining appropriate licences for the use of copyright works from copyright owners or the collective management organizations representing them. ‘The judgment in the Reiz Continental Case has reaffirmed the position of the Commission.’

He stressed that for the avoidance of doubt, the licence granted to Multichoice Nigeria Ltd, the paid satellite television service that provided the contrivances through which the hotel accessed the audiovisual works in question, did not avail the hotel.

‘We therefore call on Multichoice and all other cable stations to make full disclosure to their commercial subscribers on the limits of the licence granted at the point of subscription. International licensing systems have shown the importance of transparency and business certainty while ensuring creators are paid. Collective management succeeds where users are provided clarity and the right owners are treated fairly. Nigeria subscribes to this ideal,’ he noted.

Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central) has called on Nigerians to remain steadfast and hopeful as the country celebrates its 65th Independence anniversary.

In his goodwill message to the people of Delta Central, the Niger Delta and all Nigerians, Dafinone described the milestone as both a celebration of sovereignty and a moment of sober reflection on the nation’s struggles, triumphs, and enduring spirit of unity.

Acknowledging the economic hardship faced by households and businesses, he urged citizens not to lose sight of the bigger picture, stressing that meaningful reforms often come with sacrifices but ultimately pave the way for stability and prosperity.

‘As we celebrate our independence, let us rekindle our hope and strengthen our resolve to build a Nigeria that works for all,’ Dafinone declared, reaffirming his commitment to advocating for the interests of Delta Central in the Senate and ensuring the voice of his people is heard.

He prayed for renewed love for the nation and a greater determination to see Nigeria succeed, concluding: ‘God bless Delta Central, God bless Delta State, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

According to him: ‘As we gather in unity to mark the 65th anniversary of our nation’s independence on October 1st, I bring you warm greetings and heartfelt congratulations. This milestone is not just a celebration of our sovereignty, but a solemn reflection on our collective journey – our struggles, our triumphs, and the enduring spirit that binds us as one people. From the industrious communities of Delta Central to every part of our great country, this is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to the Nigerian dream – one built on resilience, justice, and shared prosperity.

‘I am aware that we are navigating through challenging times. The impact of economic reforms, inflation, and evolving global dynamics has placed significant strain on households and businesses alike. However, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. Let us not be disheartened by temporary hardship. Change, especially meaningful change, often comes with sacrifices.

‘As we celebrate our independence, let us rekindle our hope and strengthen our resolve to build a Nigeria that works for all.

‘I remain committed to advocating for the interests of Delta Central in the Senate and to ensuring that the voice of our people is heard and respected. May this Independence Day renew in us a deeper love for our nation and a greater determination to see her succeed.’

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas yesterday said that the future of Nigeria is bright.

In their messages to Nigerians on the occasion of the 65th Independence Anniversary, they urged Nigerians to exercise patience as the reforms produce results.

Akpabio said that Nigeria is moving in the right direction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms.

He urged Nigerians to endure the pains of the reforms a little while longer ‘in the interest of our children and future generations’.

He said: ‘My dear resilient and wonderful people of this great nation, I wish to heartily congratulate you for witnessing Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary celebration. At 65, we are matured and should be working for the unity of the nation and prosperity of our people.

‘We salute your resilience, patience and endurance in the last two years. We deeply appreciate your support and understanding.

‘In line with the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘All hands are on deck for a greater Nigeria’, I urge you to continue to bear the temporary discomfort of the ongoing reforms. We are not unaware of the pains occasioned by the reforms, but I want to assure you, very soon, this will be a thing of the past because the benefits of the reforms are beginning to manifest positively.

‘Let me also congratulate our President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his demonstrated commitment to the peace and development of our dear country, Members of the National Assembly for the steadfastness in their legislative engagements, the judiciary and the Nigerian people at home and in diaspora on this auspicious occasion.’

He added: ‘I must tell you that Nigeria is not finished. Do not buy into the mischievous narrative that Nigeria is irredeemable. We are on the right pedestal and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is reshaping the country; we are growing and making progress.

‘If we all join hands together to support the reforms, Nigeria will become better and surely get to the promised land.’

Abbas urged Nigerians to look beyond the current challenges and anticipate a bright future.

The Speaker, who said God has blessed the country with immeasurable human and natural resources, called for collective efforts towards building ‘a nation of our dreams regardless of religious, ethnic and political differences.’

According to the Speaker, Nigeria remains on the right path with the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He expressed optimism that the country remains the giant of Africa, adding that it would reclaim its position as the biggest economy on the continent.

He urged Nigerians to remain undaunted by the security and socio-economic challenges.

Abbas called for more prayers and patriotism from law-abiding Nigerians, assuring that the House would provide accountable leadership, good governance and dividends of democracy, especially at the grassroots.