“They can’t stop us; they can’t break the spirit in us,” declares Government College Maiduguri alumnus as he calls for a national awakening
By Usman Umar
As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, Comrade Ahmed Tijjani Sulaiman, a member of the 1976 set of the prestigious Government College Maiduguri, has issued a stirring declaration: Nigeria has the people, the resources, the resilience and the ingenuity to take its place as a global leader.
Describing himself as a “true and detribalised Nigerian,” Sulaiman said the nation is extraordinarily blessed, and the world knows it. Countries everywhere, he noted, look to Nigeria for its vast resources, huge population, remarkable talent and untapped potential.
Reflecting on the significance of the anniversary, he lamented that Nigerians have yet to fully appreciate and harness their collective strength. Nigerians, he observed, have shown striking generosity to people from other lands, yet have struggled to extend the same love, unity and patriotism to one another.
“Nigeria is so blessed that all countries of the world want a part of it to survive,” he said.
For Sulaiman, the nation’s greatest challenge is not a shortage of resources, but a failure by citizens to fully grasp and embrace what it means to be Nigerian.
“Collectively, Nigerians have what it takes to lead the world, and the rest of the world already knows that and is doing everything to stop it. But they can’t stop us; they can’t break the spirit in us,” he declared.
He urged a new national consciousness built on self-belief, sacrifice, patriotism and collective responsibility, insisting that Nigeria’s transformation will begin the moment its citizens stop doubting their own abilities. Nigerians, he said, must awake from their national slumber and believe in the possibility of building a stronger, more prosperous nation.
Genuine progress, he stressed, demands sacrifice, perseverance and commitment. “There is no gain without pain,” he noted.
The Government College Maiduguri old boy also challenged the nation’s leaders to set the standard through integrity, responsibility and selfless service to the people. He urged citizens, in turn, to be more discerning about those they entrust with political and public office.
“Leaders must lead by example, while the led must know who is leading them,” he said.
Sulaiman called on Nigerians to look beyond ethnic, religious and political divides and embrace the shared identity and destiny that bind them together.
He concluded by wishing Nigerians at home and abroad a Happy 66th Independence Anniversary, voicing confidence that through unity, self-belief and sacrifice, Nigeria will rise to its rightful place among the world’s leading nations.
