Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has urged Nigerians to embrace courage, optimism and thanksgiving as the country marks its 66th Independence anniversary, saying federal reforms are creating opportunities for economic growth and development.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and courageous amid the country’s economic and security challenges as the nation celebrates its 66th Independence anniversary.
Mbah made the call on Thursday during a thanksgiving Mass at the Enugu Government House Chapel, where he stressed the importance of recognising the contributions of Nigerians to nation-building.
The governor noted that although this year’s Independence Day celebration was largely low-key, the absence of elaborate festivities should not diminish the significance of the occasion.
“Nation-building is not always accompanied by fireworks,” he said.
He observed that significant contributions to national development were being made daily in classrooms, hospitals, farms, construction sites, factories, businesses, laboratories and security formations across the country.
According to him, Nigerians must acknowledge the country’s challenges without losing sight of the opportunities and possibilities ahead.
“There are moments in a nation’s journey when the difficulties are so immediate that it becomes difficult to see the possibilities beyond them. But dawn does not announce itself with noise. It begins quietly,” he said.
Mbah added that Nigeria’s history of overcoming crises demonstrated the resilience of its people, urging citizens not to define the country solely by its present difficulties.
He also said the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu were beginning to create opportunities for states willing to take advantage of them.
“It is heartwarming that the President’s policies and reforms have created remarkable opportunities for states that are prepared to take advantage of them,” the governor stated.
He added that there were indications that some of the federal government’s reforms were creating conditions for greater economic stability and increased production.
The governor described Enugu State as an example of what could be achieved through resilience, self-belief and purposeful development, noting that the state had moved from a period of decline to one of renewal.
“There was a time when the dominant conversation about Enugu was about what had been lost – about a city and a state whose best days were behind them.
“Today, a different story is being written. A renaissance is taking place – across our schools and hospitals, our roads and even in the skies, in once moribund factories, our agricultural communities, and our tourism space,” he said.
Mbah said the state’s ongoing transformation demonstrated the possibilities that could emerge when people refused to be limited by past challenges.
He expressed gratitude to the people of Enugu State for their support and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to its development agenda.
The governor pledged to sustain investments in education, infrastructure, economic growth, public welfare and security, stressing that the government would remain focused on improving residents’ quality of life.
“We will not be distracted from the work. We will remain faithful to the policies and projects that have changed the trajectory of our state and earned Enugu a more respectable reckoning, both within Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of education and human capital development, describing people as the most important infrastructure any government could build.
Mbah further said his administration would continue to strengthen the state’s economy and create opportunities that would enable young people to build their futures in Enugu.
In his homily, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, commended Governor Mbah for what he described as significant progress in governance, particularly in improving security across the state.
Onaga, however, expressed concern that Nigeria had yet to fully realise its enormous potential, citing persistent economic and security challenges.
He maintained that despite the difficulties confronting the country, Nigerians had reasons to thank God.
The bishop recalled the security challenges Enugu experienced between 2021 and 2023, disclosing that he buried four priests who were killed during the period, while others were kidnapped.
“If you were here between 2021 and 2023, the security situation was terrible,” he said.
He acknowledged the security interventions undertaken by the present administration, noting that a secure environment was essential for investment and sustainable development.
The bishop, however, stressed that more work was needed to sustain the progress made in addressing insecurity.
He also urged political leaders and public office holders to use the authority entrusted to them to serve the people, particularly the poor and vulnerable.
According to him, leadership should be understood as an opportunity to demonstrate love, provide care and improve the welfare of those in need.
Onaga further called for a stronger moral foundation for Nigeria, arguing that national development should be built on justice, holiness and truth, rather than material progress alone.
“Our national map will not rest on purely material foundations. It will rest on a new moral condition built on justice, holiness, and truth,” he said.
The thanksgiving Mass was attended by heads of other arms of government, senior government officials and other leaders.
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