Nigeria in a difficult, encouraging situation –Tinubu

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, says the country is in a difficult but encouraging situation.

Tinubu said although the journey to economic recovery would not be easy, there was hope for the country.

This was contained in a speech he delivered on Saturday after receiving a honourary Doctor of Business degree at the 15th- 20th convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja.

He said, “Nigeria stands in the corridor between greatness and failure; between progress and collapse; between hope and despair. Our fate depends on whether we would summon the courage to take the bold steps and move in the direction. We must turn our present challenges into opportunities for the reengineering of our nation’s economic challenges.”

The APC leader, however, noted that Nigeria needed some fundamental restructuring, both politically and economically, in order to actualise the desired change.

Tinubu advocated a return to agriculture, noting that a vibrant agriculture sector would produce enough food for domestic consumption and for export, while creating more jobs.

He also reiterated his confidence in the Federal Government’s commitment “to a new era of discipline and prosperity.”

He added, “If you ask me to describe the state of the nation, I would say it is a difficult but encouraging one. We are emerging from a period of great moral uncertainty, where vice and virtue were too often indistinguishable and too often confused, one for the other.

“The journey we have embarked upon will not be easy. It requires all of us to make sacrifices and persevere until we achieve. Nigeria needs some fundamental restructuring, both politically and economically; not the constant tinkering and patch-patch we often resort to.

“We must therefore begin with fundamentally restructuring of the economy if we are to rid ourselves of joblessness.”

While commending the university for its achievements and the award, Tinubu said despite the challenges of infrastructure and funding, the University of Abuja must not compromise its academic standard.

“The university must seek to pursue initiatives that will make it overcome the ever present and common limitations,” he stressed.