New Telegraph 
I n roughly 96 hours, 2025 will quietly slip away to be replaced by 2026 with many of us having mixed feelings about the outgoing year. Coming a week after celebrating one of the most important dates for Christians, Christmas – the day our saviour Jesus Christ was born – the New Year once again, provides us the opportunity to not only make our fresh resolutions but also take stock of our priorities.
Of course, as it has been the case for ages, millions of people all over the globe made various resolutions when 2025 kicked-off about 51 weeks ago. While many of the resolutions were adhered to, many others were not for various reasons best known to the individuals who made them.
By the way, for those who wish to know, a New Year resolution is an intention or commitment to achieve a goal or make a change in the new calendar year. The concept of setting goals at the beginning of the year isn’t new. In fact, human beings have marked the occasion by making resolutions for over 4,000 years, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Ancient Babylonians recognised the start of their calendar year and farming season by making promises to repay their debts, the almanac said.
And ancient Romans pledged good behaviour in the coming year. The tradition continues today, with many committing to a variety of personal goals each January. While some people achieve what they set out to by the end of the year, more resolutions than one might realise, often fail. Most New Year resolutions are related to health and finance, according to a YouGov survey of 1,000 people.
According to a survey by Pew Research Centre, young adults make the most New Year resolutions, while older adults tend to set fewer resolutions. However, 70% of surveyed adults opted out of setting New Year resolutions altogether. While New Year resolutions are effective for some, majority of people who make resolutions don’t stick to their goals. According to Forbes, Dr. Michelle Rozen surveyed 1,000 people between January and June of 2023 and found that only 6% of participants followed through on their resolutions, while 94% of survey-takers did not.
“That 94% rate doesn’t surprise me because people often make resolutions without a clear plan on how they will be accomplished,” explained Dr. Barb Lesniak, Executive Director of Social Sciences at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
While I must concede that most of the above have been gleaned from foreign research, we must, however, also admit that through the Internet, the world has become a global village with the same trends popping up everywhere. And from personal experience, when this writer was much younger, making New Year resolutions was a fad – now not much so! However, in keeping with the tradition many of our political leaders made various promises to the people as they ushered in 2025.
And the most influential person in this category is none other than President Bola Tinubu, who in his January 1 address to the nation, promised amongst other things, better economic growth, expanded credit opportunities and youth empowerment in 2025.
Tinubu also revealed that the Youth Confab, a national conference with young Nigerians as participants, will take place in the first quarter. The National Values Charter was also to be launched in the first quarter to promote patriotism and unity nationwide.
Touching on the tough times faced the preceding year, the President said: “Though 2024 posed numerous challenges to our citizens and households, I am confident that the New Year will bring brighter days. “Economic indicators point to a positive and encouraging outlook for our nation. Fuel prices have gradually decreased, and we recorded foreign trade surpluses in three consecutive quarters. Foreign reserves have risen, and the naira has strengthened against the US dollar, bringing greater stability.”
Turning to the present, President Tinubu said: “In 2025, our government is committed to intensifying efforts to lower these costs by boosting food production and promoting local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies. We are resolute in our ambition to reduce inflation from its current high level of 34.6% to 15%. With diligent work and God’s help, we will achieve this goal and provide relief to all our people.”
He ended by saying: “The New Year will bring us closer to the bright future we all desire and the Nigeria of our dreams. “God bless you all, and may God bless our beloved country, Nigeria. “Happy New Year and a prosperous 2025 to you all!” Of course, as it is to be expected, opposition parties poured cold water on it with the Labour Party describing the New Year speech as an arrogant display of dishonesty and disregard for citizens.
“The Labour Party, like most right thinking Nigerians, was appalled by the hollowness of the New Year Speech by President Bola Tinubu to Nigerians.
“If anything, the speech conveyed to Nigerians the high level of hypocrisy, deceit and lack of empathy which has become the guiding principle of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration which Tinubu leads.
“It is depressing to note that the President and his handlers didn’t deem it fit to include a word of comfort for the families of over 200 persons killed by terrorists during the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State. What a shame,” the party said in its official statement.
On its part, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also slammed the broadcast saying Tinubu’s administration is grossly disconnected and unconcerned about the hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of ill-implemented policies and gross mismanagement of resources under the President’s watch.
However, the truth is that it has not all been doom and gloom as the President has been able to achieve some successes – with the exchange rate, fuel price and inflation all coming down. Unfortunately, many citizens will pohoo these positives pointing out that their standards of living have not improved that much with the cost of goods and services still remaining high.
Moreover, one area President Tinubu can’t beat his chest as having successfully tackled is security. While we received the cheering news of the release of the last abducted Niger State schoolchildren last week, the fact that they were even kidnapped in the first instance is a negative.
In fact, around that period, mass kidnappings became the order of the day with abductions happening in Kwara, Nasarawa and Niger states. Only last Sunday, 28 people were kidnapped on their way to attend an Islamic event in Plateau State.
In five days, President Tinubu will once again address the nation in what we can consider to be his own New Year resolution with many of us praying that it will come with good tidings! And for the rest of us, let’s not make resolutions we know we can’t keep. Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2026!
