KeleChi 🥷🏾

CITIZENSHIP, FREEDOM AND VIGILANCE Being the Text of the 2026 Independence Day Broadcast by Governor Alex C. Otti, OFR, on Thursday, October 1, 2026 1. Today we begin on a note of profound gratitude to the Almighty God for the privilege of witnessing another significant day in the annals of our history. I congratulate all of us for the joy that comes with freedom which the first day of October represents for millions of Nigerians, since 1960. We take great pride in our rich history on this blessed morning when we pay homage to the men and women who championed the course of our independence. The demand for self-governance from the colonial authorities was driven by the political elites of the day but it was the support and commitment of the ordinary people that gave the struggle its truest legitimacy. It is therefore fitting that on this remarkable day of the anniversary of the beginning of indigenous rule in Nigeria, we spare a moment in reflection for the dreams and expectations that inspired the push for self-rule by our founding fathers and their compatriots. Agreed that we may not have reached the lofty heights they envisioned as they took to the floor of the parliament, classrooms, editorial pages and the streets of our urban centres with the single message of freedom, it is also not fair to suggest that the post-independence years have been without some measure of success. Yes, we may not have done as well as one could have wished on a number of critical development frontlines but evidently, there are some remarkable achievements that we can take pride in; the more important reality is that even amidst the frustrations of the hour, our beautiful country can still rediscover the genius that made us world-beaters in the early years of our national expression. 2. The perennial struggles with basic infrastructure, poverty, unemployment, low factor utilisation, limited access to education and healthcare, and insecurity, especially in the last two decades, should be a source of concern for every patriotic Nigerian for the reason that several less-endowed nations have achieved far-superior results on these fronts. The agony of seeing millions of young people helplessly abandon the homeland in pursuit of opportunities for self-fulfilment in remote corners of the earth does not tell a good story of our progress after 66 long years of independence, hundreds of billions of dollars in national earning and the extensive blessings of prodigious human talent. Obviously, there are grounds for disaffection but disappointment need not lead to despair. If there is one thing that stands us apart as a community of people, it is our optimistic outlook to life, therefore, we are wired to rise above and beyond the intimidation of temporary circumstances and setbacks. In addition to the gift of hope for a better tomorrow, today would be a good time to ask a few soul-searching questions of ourselves to identify what we may have missed in the quest for true economic and political sovereignty.