President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that January 2014 does not only mark a new year but is special because it heralds the dawn of 100 years of existence as a nation and a modern Nigeria.
The President spoke at the Catholic Church’s Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, Garki in Abuja during the New Year service.
Jonathan said, “Today(Wednesday) is a special day. January 1, 2014 is special because the amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates happened on January 1, 1914.
“Today (Wednesday), modern Nigeria is 100 years old. The formal ceremony will take place in February. The programme will soon be advertised for all Nigerians to see and know the areas they will participate. All the religious houses will be involved in one form of prayer or the other.
“So, today (Wednesday), we are not just celebrating the New Year, we are also celebrating a special new year. A new year that modern Nigeria is 100 years old. And we should use this period to begin to think of what Nigeria will be in the next 100 years.
“We should think what the future of our children and our grandchildren will be in the next 100 years.”
Jonathan called on politicians to stop heating up the polity in order to preserve the unity of the country.
He said, “As we continue to play politics, leaders will come and go but the country will stay.
“Luckily, we have a constitution that nobody will be a governor or president forever. It is only in the parliament that you can be there till you die.
“As long as we consider the interest of our country, children, grandchildren and we begin to plan for the next generation instead of wasting all our energies , this country will be better.
“Nigeria can even change in the next few years and things will be better for everybody. By God’s grace, this country will be better in 2014.
“Even in the power sector that people always make reference to, since we have been able to do be first phase of privatisation and generation and distribution handed over to the private sector, we believe that before the middle of this year, power will be reasonably stable and that will stimulate the economy.
“I believe and I am convinced that 2014 will be a better year than 2013.”
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