Many Benue residents say are grateful to God for sustaining the corporate existence of the country and guiding its leaders to navigate it through difficult times.
A cross section of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi that they had many reasons to celebrate the country at 59 years of age.
They, however, appealed for more patriotism from the citizens to help sustain its corporate existence and attain higher heights.
They said that significant achievements were made in all sectors of the economy over the years but admitted that there was need to urgently address the challenges facing the country for rapid development.
A don, Dr Aondoakaa Asambe, said there was every reason to celebrate Nigeria at 59 as there was no country in the world today without its own share of challenges to bear.
“For the fact that Nigeria has been able to manage her affairs for those past years is enough reason to celebrate.
“Those that see Nigeria as a sinking ship; it is time for them to realise that the country belongs to all of us and they have no other country they can call their own other than Nigeria.
“This is the time for them to contribute in whatever little way they can to redeem their own image and that of the country.
“For the irredentist secessionists and revolutionists, this is the time to reassess the Nigerians psyche and realise that Nigerians are not ready to commit any act of senseless and nonsensical killings in the name of secession and revolution,” he warned.
For Mrs Mimi Orubibi, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue, ” it is time for the country to place more emphasis on vocational education rather than certificates”.
According to her, having come such a long way, the country needs to emulate other nations by urgently developing the human capacity of her citizens as most certificate holders at the moment cannot defend them in the open market.
She, however, lauded the country’s achievements in the communication sector, but expressed regret that it still faced infrastructure deficits.
The former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said the nation’s challenges were not religious, ethnic and restructuring but greed, selfishness and brazen criminality by a few powerful people across the country.
“A few powerful people use ethnicity and religion to rape and milk Nigeria dry. They hypnotize the ordinary people with religion and ethnicity.
“I don’t think we have started. We only seem to be moving fast but just to remain where we are. The rot is too much and has overwhelmed the anti -corruption fighters, “he said. (NAN)