Nigeria as a country commences its centenary celebrations today, February 27th 2014. To this effect, President Jonathan addressed the nation in a broadcast yesterday to kick start the centenary celebrations.
ALSO ON THE TRENT: For The Records: President Jonathan’s Centenary Address
The country’s centenary will kickoff today at the Eko Hotel in Lagos with a charity ball in which 100 Nigerians will be honoured. the occasion will be graced by at least 28 heads of state, including French President, Francois Hollande.
More than twelve Heads of State, yesterday, arrived at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, ahead of the centenary celebrations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the heads of state were received at the airport by some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Those who were received at the airport include Presidents Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yahya Jammeh of Gambia and Prosper Bazombaza of Burundi.
President Ellen Sirleaf of Liberia and Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, the former Secretary General of OAU, who led the Tanzanian delegation, also arrived Abuja yesterday for the celebration.
Other dignitaries who arrived the federal capital were the President of Mauritania, Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, Ethiopian President, Mr Hailemarian Desalegh, and the European Union President, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso.
The Zambian Minister of Defence, Mr Edgar Lungu, will represent the Zambian President, Michael Saata. Israel will also be represented by its Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Yair Shamir.
The world leaders were hosted by the President at the Transcorp Hilton later Tuesday.
Also, US President Barack Obama yesterday announced that he was sending a two-man presidential delegation to represent him at Nigeria’s centenary celebrations.
In his centenary speech, President Goodluck Jonathan declared that he feels the full weight of Nigeria’s 100-year history, maintaining that what he feels most is not frustration or disillusionment, but great pride and great hope for a country that is bound to overcome the transient pains of the moment and eventually take its rightful place among the greatest nations on earth.
He stated that the future greatness of Nigeria is assured by the favourable tail winds of a resilient population, ecological diversity, rich natural resources and a national consciousness that rises above our differences.
President Jonathan also stresses that while the occasion of the centenary undoubtedly calls for celebration, it is also a moment to pause and reflect on Nigeria’s journey of the past 100 years, to take stock of the past and consider the best way forward for the country.
“We are a nation of the future, not of the past and while we may have traveled for a century, we are not yet at our destination of greatness”, he said.
He also maintained that Nigeria is divinely ordained to lead the African Renaissance, given its sheer size, population, history, resilience, human and natural resources and economic potentials.
Other major highlights of the celebration would include a security summit to be graced by the heads of state, which is auspicious given the increasing attacks by Boko Haram in Borno and Adamawa States and Tuesday’s slaying of dozens of students of a Federal Government College in Yobe.
