President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians at home and abroad that the nation’s economy has exited the ‘dark tunnel” of uncertainty.
He said that his administration was elected “to renew everybody’s hope,” and that that hope is still resonating with a lot of Nigerians.
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Tinubu stated this at an exhibition in the United Kingdom, as part of his two-day state visit.
“As I stand before you, I can tell you that we’ve navigated our way out of the dark tunnel, the tunnel of economic uncertainty, the hopelessness of the past, but the bright future that we want to bring to each and every one of you.
“It is my commitment, even if I have a low adrenaline before I got here, but since you resolved only to renew my mandate, nothing else more joyful than what you are doing,” he said.
‘Inspiring Leader’
The President urged Nigerians to embrace the positives about their country, promising that he would continue to be “that inspiring leader,” and that “the changes will be here”.
“I can assure you I’m still debating what the credit rating is saying of African economy, and I disagree. I put that in the Financial Times confidently.
“But the challenge is not about the people surrounding the industry. It is about us generating those indices. It is with our own determination to say who we are and where we are headed,” he told the gathering of Nigerians living in the UK and other participants at the exhibition.
“It is you and I who must embrace what is positive about Africa, particularly Nigeria, and I promise you I’ll continue to be that inspiring leader.
“As we are navigating the world without borders, we are seeing conflict here and there. And we see the volatility in the economy and the purchasing power of the people being eroded.
“Keep your efforts and your heart in shape, positive direction. Keep the hope in your body and soul. Let’s do it together. I promise you the changes will be here,” he added.
Tinubu said that the theme of the exhibition, ‘Nigeria’s Modernism,’ was more than just a title for an art show, but told the story of a generation of Nigerian giants who, in the middle of the 20th century, refused to be defined by a colonial lens.
“They chose instead to define themselves. As I walk through this hall, I see the true spirit of Nigeria. I see a people — people who take the best of the world in techniques and infuse them with the ancient, unbreakable ribbon of our own heritage.
“This is the Nigeria I know. This is the Nigeria we are all hoping to build,” he added.
State Visit, £746 Deal
Tinubu has been in the UK since his arrival on Tuesday for a state visit, the first in nearly four decades.
The President, accompanied by his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, was welcomed by King Charles III and Queen Camilla with ceremonial military honours.
The king treated Tinubu to a state banquet at Windsor on Wednesday, where he also praised the contribution of Nigerian to the development of the UK.
On Thursday, the President had a meeting with the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in central London.
He witnessed the signing of a £746 million financing agreement in London between Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, led by Wale Edun, and Citi Bank aimed at modernising Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos.
On her part, the First Lady spoke to a gathering at Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Mrs. Tinubu interacted with religious leaders.
She also met representatives of the Church of England, including Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, and Bishop Emma Ineson, acting Bishop of London.
