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Chairman of the New Deal Organization, Hon. Prince Daniel Kanu, has called on Nigerians to put aside political, ethnic and religious differences and join hands with the government to address the country’s challenges.
Kanu made the call in an Independence Day message in which he urged Nigerians to recognise that nation-building was a collective responsibility that could not be left solely to the President, governors, lawmakers and other public officials.
He said he listened with keen interest to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 66th Independence Day anniversary address, describing the speech as sincere and progressive.
According to him, the President’s acknowledgment of some of the failures of the past and his appeal for Nigerians to work together should serve as a call for collective action.
Kanu said Nigerians must understand the true meaning of democracy, stressing that the phrase “We, the People” captures the essence of democratic governance.
He cited the opening words of the United States Constitution, which calls on citizens to form “a more perfect Union,” establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare and secure liberty for present and future generations.
He said the same principle should guide Nigerians.
“‘We, the People’ means that we all have a collective responsibility—not just those in positions of authority at the very top,” Kanu said.
He argued that Nigeria’s current difficulties could not be blamed entirely on political leaders, insisting that citizens at different levels of society must also examine their conduct and responsibilities.
Kanu stressed that he was not defending public officials who had failed in their duties, but was advocating an approach that addressed what he described as the root causes of Nigeria’s problems rather than constant finger-pointing.
We have all failed Nigeria
The New Deal chairman said Nigerians must be prepared to confront uncomfortable truths about the country’s condition.
“Nigeria is where it is today because Nigerians have failed themselves at virtually every level—both those in government and those outside government,” he said.
Kanu made the remarks while reacting to the three-day warning strike reportedly announced by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council over unresolved demands on the government.
He questioned the broader approach of demanding additional government expenditure without sufficient attention to how the required revenue would be generated, particularly amid Nigeria’s fiscal difficulties.
Kanu said it was ironic for some public servants to withdraw their services in an attempt to compel the government to resolve systemic problems that, in some cases, also fall within the responsibilities of those working inside the system.
He said Nigeria’s challenges would not be solved through strikes, political manoeuvring or blame games, but through patriotism, responsibility and the deliberate promotion of good values.
Nigeria’s problems did not start today
Kanu said Nigeria’s difficulties did not begin with the present administration and would not disappear simply through a change in political leadership.
He called for an end to ethnic and religious politics and urged Nigerians to place the interests of the country above narrow personal, ethnic, religious or political considerations.
“The solution to Nigeria’s challenges begins with recognising the problem—and that problem lies with ‘We, the People,’” he said.
He argued that misplaced loyalty in workplaces and public institutions often takes precedence over loyalty to the Constitution, laws, regulations and professional ethics.
According to him, when institutions subsequently fail, Nigerians frequently blame national leadership without examining the conduct that contributed to the failure.
Kanu also criticised what he described as widespread disregard for rules and regulations, saying citizens must accept responsibility for their own actions rather than always shifting blame to government.
Integrity, accountability key to national development
The New Deal chairman identified integrity, honesty, respect, competence, compassion, empathy, accountability and customer service as values he said Nigeria urgently needs.
He argued that the absence of such values across parts of the public and private sectors contributes to low productivity, poverty, weak institutions and other social problems.
Kanu said Nigeria’s vast natural and human resources had not translated into the level of development expected, arguing that the country’s greatest challenge was not a shortage of resources but how those resources were managed and utilised.
He pointed to the development achieved by several countries with fewer natural resources and smaller populations, saying the comparison demonstrated the importance of human capital, institutions, values and responsible citizenship.
“A country does not make its people; the people make the country,” he said.
Ask what you can do for Nigeria
Kanu also invoked the famous words of former United States President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
He urged Nigerians to apply the principle to nation-building by taking responsibility for their roles in their workplaces, communities and institutions.
He said citizens should rally around the Constitution and support legitimate institutions while holding public officials accountable for their responsibilities.
“This Independence Day, let us remember that Nigeria belongs to all of us,” he said.
“The responsibility for building the Nigeria we desire cannot rest solely on the shoulders of those in government. It is the collective responsibility of ‘We, the People.’”
Kanu called on Nigerians to put the country first, embrace integrity, honesty, discipline, competence, compassion and patriotism, and begin asking what they could contribute to national development.
“Let us stop asking only what Nigeria can do for us and begin asking what each of us can do for Nigeria,” he said.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Hon. Prince Daniel Kanu
Chairman, New Deal Organization
