The governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) in Ogun State, Dr. Tofunmi Ogunronbi, popularly known as DTO has felicitated with Nigerians in commemoration of 62nd anniversary.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by DTO-CFB Campaign Organisation on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The guber candidate, while urging the residents of Ogun State to work with them, stated that his intention to be the governor, under the umbrella of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), is to change the tide and establish a democratic renewal process that will be second to none in the state.
The Statement reads, "the celebration of Nigeria's independence every year tells us how far we have gone and the good works of our hands.
"We are all aware that Nigeria got her independence in 1960 and it wouldn't have been so without our patriotic and visionary leaders.
"It's indeed a fortunate event for Nigeria to have been liberated. Since we have been independent, we are in control of our economy, education, agriculture, finance, and transportation. And this very month, Nigeria clocks 62.
"Despite all these, she is still a crawling state. She doesn't reflect enough the kind of growth she should have. Look at our educational, economical, agricultural, security, power and transportation sectors, see how they are crawling.
"Nigeria can be Canaan, a kind of promise land we all seek. For Nigeria to be that kind of land, she has to be successful. And it can’t be successful without our collective efforts and cooperation of our leaders (political, business, societal, etc.). Let’s look into the future and place Nigeria in the rightful state of becoming a successful nation where she gain back our pride as “Giant of Africa” with more international recognition and respect. There is no much difference between the developed countries and Nigeria. The difference is just the mode and hand of leadership; and if it could be fixed, Nigeria is becoming a developed country and regaining her pride as Giant of Africa.
"Majority of Nigerian youths’ dream have been shattered due to the poor governance we are all experiencing today. Our leaders made laws and policies that militate against the youths dreams. What should we should say about a student who filled in for a course in one of the Nigeria Federal Universities and was given a course out of line? Or a student who was deprived of admission talk-less of being offered a lower/out-of-line course?"
"This has been going on in the country for a long time but we haven’t made enough attempts to curb it. We haven’t voiced out enough like the poem Vanity by Birago Diop declares that if we continue to stay in silence and just embrace things as they come at us, we would still be living in the perils we are.
" And that’s why the youths should arise and fight for the right course, and the fighting we mean here isn’t about physical combat but strong will not to accept submission to wrong rules. We can fight for our right by voting in the right candidate. We shouldn’t vote based on vote-buying, corruption or any kind of bribery. I keep saying this and I will repeat it here, we cannot have a new Nigeria without changing the old faces. It is time for us to recycle the old faces and introduce new faces for us to test their ideology, until then, we will continue to experience the same results."
"Looking at Nigeria’s anthem, you would see that the anthem was composed when Nigerians were united with fresh blood of developing her. With the first lines of the first stanza, there was readiness to serve Nigeria to the core and make sure she really maintains her stand as the Giant of Africa. And not just that, Nigerians respect the works and effort of our past leaders which was indicated in the 5th line of the same first stanza.
"But it sounds like something went wrong but needs to be corrected before it’s spoiled at this line in the anthem, “Help our youth the truth to know.
"In the light of this, I felicitate with all the people of Ogun state, both home and abroad on this 62nd independence of our great country-Nigeria. Let us jointly rescue Ogun State."
DTO is the Managing Director and CEO of Imperial Glamour Nigeria Ltd, a Managing Consulting firm and Oil & Gas Servicing Company with several units covering Oil & Gas Trading, Marine logistics, Heavy Duty Lift & Civil Construction. He is a speaker, consultant and an entrepreneur, who writes, counsels and speaks on Youth empowerment and Business Development.