Emmanuel Onani 
The Federal Government has declared Monday as a public holiday in commemoration of the 63rd independence anniversary. The Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration in Abuja yesterday.
In a statement by Permanent Secretary, Oluwatoyin Akinlade, he congratulated Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the occasion. The minister pledged the government’s dedication to addressing the numerous challenges facing Nigeria.
Tunji-Ojo said: “It is today a known fact that difficult Socio- Economic and Security challenges are global, and Nigeria is not isolated.
“Our warm welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land makes Nigeria unarguably the leading black Nation in the World being Africa’s pride and a beacon of hope for the Renewed Hope of President Bola Tinubu.”
While wishing the citizens a memorable independence celebration, the minister said the country’s founding fathers, “in spite of the differences in faith, tribe, tongue, came together for Nigeria’s freedom which we enjoy today”.
