OF DEDICATION AND FREEDOM
Being the Text of an Address Presented by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, to Commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary in Umuahia on Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Dear Compatriots,
- It is with great joy and sense of national pride that I address you this morning, grateful for the privilege of witnessing the 65th anniversary of our nation’s independence from the colonial authorities. I would like to specially congratulate fellow Nigerians, for the great things we have collectively achieved as one nation over the last six and half decades of co-existence. Ours is far from being a perfect union but this day presents us an excellent opportunity to look back with pride at how far we have come and then resolve as one people, united in common destiny, that the best of our years is in the future, not in the glory of the past, nor the frustrations of the present. We are a people of destiny and the evidence is in the miracle of our continued existence, the friendships that transcend religious and ethnic boundaries and in the spontaneous excitement that rends the air each time a Nigerian achieves something remarkable on the global stage, when we do not care about ethnic or religious identity; just the knowledge that the individual or team represents Nigeria.
- Many of us have had cause to feel disappointed with Nigeria and the trajectory it has taken over the last few decades but we must never mistake momentary discontent with lifetime disconnection. We are a nation of patriots so even when we openly announce our dissatisfaction with the state of affairs, deep in our hearts, we love our nation and wish the best for it. Today, we celebrate the victory of our founding fathers over the limitations of colonialism but there is so much more to celebrate. This nation mirrors Africa’s rich potential, and then its struggles. It therefore follows that the destiny of Nigeria is partly tied to the eternal reality of our brothers and sisters all over the world. What we become will ultimately play a part in shaping what will be said of our race in the final analysis. A thriving Nigeria inspires hope in the mind of every black man and woman around the world, conversely, our continuing struggles, especially on the fundamental concerns of human existence, keeps a certain unflattering narrative in steady circulation. As we celebrate the 65th anniversary of our Independence, the onus is now on us to rise to our calling and give our kith and kin from Brazil to Oman, Colombia to Ecuador, Portugal to Guatemala and across hundreds of other nations around the world where our type are found in small and large numbers, something to be eternally proud of.
- Nigeria is an ambitious project but the events of the last 65 years have also taught us that nothing great is built in isolation. A nation rises on the dreams and enthusiasm of the ordinary people but it is the leaders who must provide direction. Leaders in a national project are not just members of the political class, they are the men and women who mould opinions in places of worship, learning institutions and in the centres where people of all demographic groups congregate in search of knowledge and meaning. Leadership, as I had emphasised several times over, is not a title, it is the disposition to create value, drive progress and apply our peculiar advantages to noble causes — ideas that transcend narrow interests. This anniversary is an invitation to leadership, to take responsibility for the attainment of the outcomes we desire and deserve. One thing history has repeatedly taught is that no one is too small to lead the chorus for change. The building blocks for the new Nigeria of our dreams would be provided by all of us in the way we interpret our roles in the family, and in the larger society and in our interactions with institutions.
- Our destiny is to empower the black race, to inspire our people to greatness and become a constant reminder that it is the mind, not the colour of skin, that ultimately determines how far we go in life. We are currently beleaguered by a litany of challenges and it does not diminish us to admit that all is not well — that Nigeria has not become what our founding fathers and the compatriots who fought for its freedom committed their lives to. Yes, our nation has been serially betrayed and its potential stunted by bad decisions and our response to the events that have effectively shaped our national experience. We have failed on several scores and at other points, simply wobbled when we could have moved with decisive intent. Mistakes have been made but the good thing is that yet another beautiful opportunity has been offered us — to start afresh, to rise to the noble ideals of the independence movement and cast aside the inhibitions that have perennially kept us out of the table of greatness — these include tribal and religious triumphalism, corruption and behavioural tendencies that raise suspicions and undermine public trust. We are invited to forgo the culture of finger-pointing and collectively come to terms with the truth that we all have a country to build. The task of re-imagining Nigeria is not exclusively for those in public offices or persons of influence; it is for all of us, although there are individuals and institutions that must bear the torch by virtue of their privileges.
- To our brothers and sisters here in Abia, let me specially thank you for your unending faith in the Nigerian project. You have remained unwavering in your commitment to Nigeria, refusing to be frustrated by the weight of discontent within the polity. Thank you for rising to the demands of nation building and for doing everything within your power to keep the ship of state in motion. We may have suffered heart-breaking disappointments in our interaction with the system but I am glad that we have remained unyielding in the conviction that like our parents, we are as involved in this project as our compatriots from other parts of the country. Let me specially appreciate you for spreading the fruits of your genius across the length and breadth of the nation and for refusing to take the easy option of retreating into your shells when met with difficulties — to whine, and then do nothing else. No, we are better than that and I believe that in due time, we shall all look back with pride, grateful to have played a part in the great story Nigeria will eventually become.
- May I now take a moment to honour the memories of our compatriots, the men and women who devoted their lives and talents to the service of this land, who gave the last full measure of their devotion to forestall the failure of the Nigerian experiment. Our gratitude to the soldiers, policemen and other security agents fighting the scourge of terror, and criminality in different parts of the country must never be diminished by the recalcitrance of the challenge we are dealing with. We are also encouraged to keep in our memories, the ordinary men and women whose lives and dreams were cut short by unfortunate events and circumstances that have dogged our path in the last sixty-five years. They did not leave us empty, their courage and strength must now become fountains of inspiration for all of us as we launch out on a new trajectory, dedicated fully to the values and ideals that sold our parents to the vision of a nation that runs on the oils of hope and kept on track by the shield of fairness, patriotism and justice, to one and to all.
- Happy Independence, Nigeria.
Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR
October 1, 2025
