By

Kaneng T. Pam-Hworo
State Director,
NOA, Plateau State

The State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Plateau State, Mrs. Kaneng Tabitha Pam-Hworo while felicitating with all Nigerians on the 62nd Independence Day celebration reminded citizens that the day should not be seen as a mere routine, rather it should serve as an opportunity for all citizens and organizations to reflect on the country’s journey for the past 62 years. The Director pointed out that although the country is still bedeviled by a lot of avoidable challenges, these challenges are not natural disasters, they are man-made problems that can be surmounted when we individually and collectively as a people insist on doing the Right Thing. The State Director while wishing Nigerians the best of this year’s celebration of independence noted that the task of building the Nigeria of our dream lies in our hands, and frowned at a situation where some unpatriotic citizens made themselves foot soldiers of unethical acts such as ritual killings, kidnapping, attacks on innocent citizens, banditry and baseless agitations for succession threatening our existence as an indivisible nation. These negative tendencies the Director said have taken us aback, as their devastating consequences on the economy and cost of governance cannot be quantified.
The NOA Boss said Nigerians should understand that our differences in terms of ethnicity, religion, political affiliations and geography are common traits of a plural State or challenges that should be use as channels and indices for promoting peace, unity and national greatness. She said Nigerians will be doing a dis-service to themselves, and to the Nation if they made themselves ready tools for destroying a country our nationalists fought tirelessly for its unity years back. The Director also urged Citizens to in the spirit of this year’s independence celebration think more of what they can do for the nation, and imbibe our core values of patriotism, hard work, religious tolerance, self-reliance, dignity of labour, integrity and social justice considered as key ingredients for promoting peaceful co-existence and national unity. In her words, “let us eschew all negative vices, and make frantic efforts to re-orient ourselves on values that bind us as cultured and morally upright citizens as this is the only way we can collectively build the Nigeria of our dream.” Mrs Kaneng also admonished citizens to sincerely use the occasion to reflect on the challenges facing the nation and the role individuals can play in curbing these challenges that are threatening our corporate existence as one indivisible entity.
The Director maintained that as we prepare for the 2023 general elections, politicians must understand that politics is a game, not an act of war, as such it behooves on the players to play the game based on its laid down rules and regulations. She therefore advised that politicians should in the spirit of the celebration embark on issue-based campaigns. In her remark, “when you are selling a product or service, you are supposed to tell us with justifiable facts the uniqueness of that product or service so that the buyer can decides whether to buy or not. You are not supposed to condemn the products or services supplied by your competitive since the economy is competitive in nature”. There is no justification for hate speeches, campaign of calumny and character assassination that often times bread violence during elections. The Director advised Nigerian youth not to allowed themselves to be used as entrepreneurs or cannot fodders of violence during the forthcoming election as according to her, it takes someone who is alive to be able to cast his or her votes.
The Director use the occasions to called for attitudinal change for a better and prosperous Nigeria which she said is possible because the God of countries that are developed today is the same merciful God that Nigerians are worshipping. She reminded Nigerians that NOA’s Change Begins with Me Campaign” as a value re-orientation and attitudinal change campaign assumes that any change we want to see in Nigeria starts with the individual. So, if all of us change our attitudes towards elections by way of de-emphasizing voter apathy, vote buying and selling, and election violence among other negative tendencies, our votes cast will surely represent our voices. Therefore, Mrs Kaneng advised politicians to ensure that as they go about campaigning for votes, the unity, peace and progress of this heterogenous heritage called Nigeria should be their watch words. And in the euphoria of this year’s Independence Day celebration, the Director urged citizens to think positive and act positive so that the labour of our heroes and heroine’s past will never be in vein.
In her words “we are about to make a critical decision that will define our future economically, socially and political through voting in line with the principle of participatory democracy. It is my earnest prayer that lessons of the past and our collective desire of building the Nigeria of our dream will guide our decisions on who to vote when the time comes so that our voices will be heard”. She said electorate must get acquainted with new innovations or reforms in the electioneering process avoid unnecessary arguments with election officials during a voting. She urged Nigerians to consider the forthcoming elections as another God’s given opportunity for Nigerians to get it right, and make amends where necessary so that our dream of building a strong, virile and unity Nigeria of our dream will be a reality.
Happy 62nd Independence Day celebration Nigerians.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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The Task of Building the Nigeria of our Dream is for all of us: NOA advises Citizens