By Magnus Effiong
As Cross River State government marked the 65th anniversary of the country’s independence without the traditional parade or the fanfare usually associated with it on Wednesday, Gov Bassey Otu has said that at 65, Nigeria stands as a testament to the resilience of her people.
Gov Otu, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Linus Obogo, described the day as “sacred, a hallowed chapter in Nigeria’s national journey.”
“At 65, Nigeria stands as a testament to the resilience of her people, their capacity to weather storms and rise from trials stronger and more determined,” the statement said.
The release explained that the cancellation of the traditional parade did not diminish the meaning of the celebration, but rather elevates it to a higher plane of sober reflection, adding that it “calls her citizens not only to remembrance but also to renewal.”
Speaking at the UJ Esuene stadium, Calabar, where a handful of secondary and primary schools students gathered for a match pass, the Commissioner for information, Dr Eramus Ekpang charged Nigerians to “celebrate 65 years of our strength and unity in diversity while striving for all hands on deck to sustain our oneness in order to achieve a greater Nation for generations in the future.”
He implored “All Nigerians and Cross Riverians in particular to believe in the ‘Project Hope’ Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and redouble our total support for our God- sent Messiah- Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, to take these laudable initiatives till 2031 and beyond.”
The Governor and his Deputy, Rt Hon Peter Odey as well as many top government officials were not physically present at the UJ Esuene stadium for the low-key celebration.
