Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi yesterday said Nigerians had every reason to celebrate the nation’s 100 years of amalgamation.
He said this in his New Year message to the people of the state at a Christian Mass held at the government house chapel, Abakaliki, the state capital.
“Despite the many challenges the nation had faced and still facing, it is necessary to celebrate her successes, rather than dwelling in her failures as a nation.
“We have had many trying periods ranging from military coups to bloody civil wars and other socio- political upheavals; but we have remained one strong indivisible entity”, he said.
The governor said “The occasion of our centenary anniversary will indeed provide us a moment to reflect on how far we have journeyed as a nation; and how to channel energy towards overcoming our challenges.
“To me, the celebration is coming at very right time and we thank God for keeping us united in spite of many odds and challenges”.
Elechi enjoined the people to march into the year 2014 with confidence and optimism, while advising them to resist all forces of darkness and disunity.
“We should enter into 2014 with confidence, hope and optimism that it will be much better than 2013.
“I urged everyone to be focused and remain fervent in prayers for those in constituted authority”, he said. (NAN)
