EU, UK Renew Support For Democracy in Nigeria
As Nigeria celebrated its 62nd year of independence, the European Union and the British High Commission in Nigeria reaffirmed their dedication to assisting the country’s democracy.
The pledge was made by the envoys on Saturday in Abuja during Nigeria’s celebration of its 62nd anniversary of independence.
Nigeria is a work in progress, just like every other nation, according to Samuela Isopi, the European Union’s ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS.
“No country is where they want to be, it is always a work in progress for every country, and I think Nigeria has really made a huge progress, especially if you think about democracy.
“Think about all the progress that has been made since the return to civilian rule, so I really think that Nigeria is a country with a huge potential.”
Catrina Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said that 62 years after gaining independence, Nigeria warrants reflection on the relationship between the UK and Nigeria.
“The democratic journey of Nigeria continues, and we congratulate Nigeria on that, and we look forward to a more prosperous, more secure future.
“There is always things we would like to see Nigeria do better, but there has been progress, and I think one really important progress is a democracy since 1999, stuck with it in a very unstable region.
“Nobody questions the president stepping down; everyone sees that Nigeria’s elections have continued to improve, there’s always room for improvement, but I think the Democratic journey is one great achievement for Nigeria.’’
Other Nigerians, meanwhile, urged the populace to be optimistic and work together to address the nation’s many problems.
As Nigeria marks 62 years of independence, Mohammed Jammal, better known as “White Nigerian,” says there are many reasons to be optimistic.
He claims that among other things, Nigeria is blessed with agriculture, good people, and mineral resources.
However, he asserted that overcoming the nation’s many problems, including banditry, kidnapping, and other types of insecurity, was the first step in bringing the country ahead.
“Once you fight insecurity, then you can now focus on education because with the insecurity now, a lot of children cannot go to school, and by the time you are not in school, all those kids will now be doing things they are not supposed to be doing,” Jammal stated.
Nigerians were commended for making it this far, and according to Deputy Commandant Odumosu Olusola, Director of Public Relations, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) National Headquarters Abuja, insecurity will soon be a thing of the past.
“I want to assure you that the future is bright for this country,” said the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. “From our own side, we are also working in partnership with other security agencies.”
Nigeria will overcome all of her issues in unison and with the cooperation of all stakeholders, according to Amina Isah, the head of Royal Newspapers’ Abuja bureau.
