2021: We must keep hope alive – Ex-Ekiti governor

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Olusegun Oni, has enjoined all Nigerians to keep hope alive, demonstrate courage and show resilience in the New Year.

In a New Year message, Oni says: “We must give our deepest appreciation to the Almighty God who has kept us to see the new year and merciful enough to help us to navigate through the tough and turbulent clouds of 2020.

“Let us rejoice in the hope that 2021 has offered us the unique opportunity of self-assessment and stock-taking to usher in a new thinking and a new perspective in our set goals.

“As we count ourselves lucky to see the new year and grapple with the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, let us not forget that obedience is better than sacrifice in complying with the COVID-19 safety protocols of mask wearing, hand washing and sanitizing and maintaining physical distancing. We sympathize and pray for the souls of our beloved ones taken from us by the virus to rest in peace.

“I urge all of us to keep hope alive, demonstrate courage, show resilience, and believe that God has given us the knowledge and strength to face and overcome our challenges.

“We must start from the self. Let us evaluate our priorities, avoid procrastination, pursue realistic goals and apply wisdom in everything we do and every step we take in the new year,2021.

“On the state of the nation: this is the year to adopt purposeful dialogue, critically appraise our fault-lines, commence the restructuring of Nigeria in practical terms and seek enduring solutions to our challenges. This is the year to assemble our best at every level and apply ingenuity to unleashing the vast potential that are abundant in Nigeria.

“To my people of Ekiti State: We can never get tired of exploiting our homogeneity to build the greatest community where love and fellowship are of primary purpose. As we strive to work harmoniously to build a resilient and compact State, we must keep hope alive in limitless possibilities.

Happy New Year!