President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday said the reforms being implemented by his administration are designed to fundamentally alter Nigeria’s development trajectory and address structural weaknesses.
The President said the reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda were targeted at building a stronger fiscal foundation, creating a more productive economy, strengthening institutions and positioning Nigeria to compete more effectively in the global economy.
Tinubu spoke in Abuja during the centenary celebration of the Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN), where he also unveiled The Nigerian Grand Book, a compendium documenting aspects of the country’s history and the contributions of its people.
The president, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said Nigeria could draw important lessons from its past in confronting current challenges and determining its future.
President Tinubu, according to a statement by Special Adviser to the SGF on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, said ‘a nation that forgets its history risks repeating its mistakes, adding that a nation that understands its history can draw wisdom from its successes, learn from its setbacks and confidently design its future.
The president said: ‘Nigeria’s present challenges did not emerge overnight; many are rooted in structural weaknesses that have accumulated over decades.
‘Consequently, the task of national renewal requires the courage to understand where we have come from, confront what has held us back and make difficult but necessary choices about where we must go.’
President Tinubu said this understanding informed the economic and institutional reforms undertaken by his administration.
He added: ‘The reforms of the present administration are therefore, not simply about changing policies; they are about changing the trajectory of our nation.
‘They seek to build a stronger fiscal foundation, create a more productive economy, strengthen institutions, unlock investment, improve infrastructure, expand opportunities for our young people and position Nigeria to compete more effectively in the global economy,’ he said.
The President described history as an important tool for national development, rather than merely a record of events that had passed.
He said: ‘President Tinubu’s approach reminds us that history should not be a museum of yesterday. History should be an instrument for engineering tomorrow.
‘That is why a publication such as The Nigerian Grand Book is so important. It gives us an opportunity to tell our story from our own perspective; to celebrate Nigerians who have contributed to our progress; to preserve the institutional memories of our nation.’
President Tinubu congratulated the Daily Times on its 100th anniversary, describing the newspaper as a defining chronicler and custodian of Nigeria’s political, social and democratic evolution.
He said the newspaper’s survival for a century was ‘a testament to endurance, relevance and institutional resilience,’ as well as an important record of the country’s national journey.
He said: ‘It is a great honour and privilege to join you today as we celebrate a remarkable milestone in the history of Nigerian journalism, and indeed, in the history of our nation, the centenary of the Daily Times of Nigeria,’ he said.
Tracing the newspaper’s role through different periods of the country’s history, Tinubu said: ‘Through the colonial era, the struggle for independence, the birth of our Republic, the challenges of nation-building and the transformations of our contemporary democracy, the pages of the Daily Times have captured the personalities, events and aspirations that have shaped our national journey.’
The President also commended the DTN@100 Times Heroes Awards, saying the development of nations ultimately depended on the contributions of their citizens across different fields.
He added: ‘Nations are built by people. The entrepreneurs who create jobs, the farmers who feed our communities, the scientists who expand knowledge, the public servants who uphold institutions, the artists who enrich our culture, the innovators who solve problems and the citizens who serve their communities are all contributors to the Nigerian story. Their achievements deserve to be remembered.’
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting national identity, cohesion and the preservation of Nigeria’s collective memory, stressing that the country’s diversity should be deployed as a source of strength rather than division.
He said: ‘The Federal Government attaches great importance to national identity, social cohesion and the preservation of our collective memory. Our diversity is one of Nigeria’s greatest assets, and our history provides us with countless examples of what Nigerians can accomplish when our differences are transformed into strength rather than division.’
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda was focused on creating an economy that expands opportunities and reduces dependency, while strengthening institutions and infrastructure.
President Tinubu stressed: ‘Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government is committed to building an economy that creates opportunities rather than dependency; institutions that command confidence; infrastructure that connects communities and markets; and a society in which every Nigerian has the opportunity to contribute to national prosperity.’
The President also described the media as an important institution in the preservation of national history, saying its responsibility extended beyond informing the public and holding those in authority accountable.
He said: ‘The Federal Government recognises the media not only as an instrument of information and accountability, but also as a custodian of national memory. The Daily Times has fulfilled that responsibility for a century,’ he said.
President Tinubu congratulated the leadership of the Daily Times under Mr Fidelis Anosike and those involved in producing The Nigerian Grand Book for what he described as their ‘historic contribution to the preservation of our national heritage.’
He urged Nigerians, schools, libraries and other institutions to embrace the compendium as a resource for preserving and understanding the country’s history.
The president added: ‘As we unveil this remarkable compendium today, let us remember that the first hundred years of Nigeria’s story have been written; the next chapter is in our hands. May we write that chapter with i than the Nigeria we inherited.’