The former minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, has applauded Nigerians for the courage displayed to keep democracy waxing stronger in the country since 1999 amid hardship and challenges facing democratic governance.
Adegoroye said politicians owe the citizens of the country deep gratitude for not giving up on democracy despite some unfulfilled expectations in the last 26 years.
Speaking in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the former minister implored Nigerians to keep working to strengthen democracy through participation in all activities that are intended to develop civilian rule.
Adegoroye said, “We politicians know that Nigeria is still under democratic rule today because the citizens keep forgiving our mistakes and keep encouraging us to do better each time we don’t do well either through policies, decisions or actions, and I am confident that under democratic rule, the country will keep getting better with every passing year.
“I know that the citizens have kept our nation standing and our democracy growing through their sweat, blood and daily toils, and we who are privileged to lead must never take them for granted.”
Prince Adegoroye who congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the second anniversary of his administration, implored the president to listen and do everything possible to meet the genuine desires of the masses while also resetting the nation’s economic trajectory.
“I acknowledge that the country may not be where you and I expect it to be but I am confident to say that it is certainly no longer where it used to be,” he stated.
Adegoroye implored the legislature at all levels of government to see democratic survival as their primary responsibility by rising above sentiments to do the sacred job of checks and balances effectively and honestly towards building the confidence of the people in democracy.
He enjoined religious leaders of all faiths to always speak truth to power objectively and mobilise their followers towards working for a more prosperous Nigeria
While stressing that the traditional institution needs to be supported through greater roles in administering the affairs of their communities as the closest to the grassroots, the former Minister expressed worry about the continuous brain drain aggravated by the japa syndrome.
He asserted that no society can achieve substantial development if its best brains run away from their land.
