The Christian Association of Nigeria, on Sunday, congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 63rd Independence Day celebration with a call on the Federal Government to stabilise the economy.

According to the Christian body, the recent fall of the naira against major world currencies, particularly the dollar, has affected Nigerians seriously.

The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who stated this in his Independence Day message, also demanded the combating of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.

He said, “This significant milestone reminds us of the progress we have made as a nation and the challenges that lie ahead. As we reflect on our journey, we urge the government to prioritise addressing the pressing economic challenges and the escalating state of insecurity in our beloved country.”

A former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, also congratulated Nigerians on the Independence Day anniversary, urging them to keep hope alive.

“I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is good for our people to look at the bright side of life and strengthen their belief in the country,” Saraki said.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Ireti Kingibe, advised Nigerians to leverage the size of the population to help the nation overcome its challenges.

“Given our size and the plenitude of natural resources God has blessed us with, we must, like China and India, two nations with populations far outstripping ours, now turn our numbers to our advantage,” she said.

The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, described the country as a “beautiful land destined for unprecedented greatness” despite her current challenges.

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The governor declared, “It is not yet Uhuru for us obviously. But our dear country is absolutely on the cusp of achieving unmatched greatness.”

Similarly, the Kwara State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the country’s march to greatness was on course, and on an even stronger footing, regardless of its own share of the challenges of nation-building that every society goes through.

In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, AbdulRazaq said, “What is certain is that the country has always emerged stronger from any of its challenges and the current ones, whatever their magnitude or shades, will not be an exception.”

Also, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State urged Nigerians to always honour the sacrifices made by the country’s founding fathers and heroes who engaged in the struggle for the freedom of the people and work for unity, justice and progress of Nigeria.

The Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu, urged Nigerians to be more patriotic in the interest of the nation.

“We must be ready to make sacrifices if we want our country to progress,” he urged.

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, joined his counterparts across the nation to congratulate Nigerians on the nation’s Independence Day anniversary, assuring citizens of the state that under his leadership people would experience transformation.

“I call on Nigerians to have deep and sober reflections on what the nation has gone through in the past decades, and they will have reasons to thank God,” Bago said.

In the same vein, the Prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Ekpenyong Akpanika, urged Nigerians to keep faith with the nation and shun actions capable of causing tension and anarchy in the land.