Fellow Nigerians, the year 2010 is the year that our country celebrates 50 years of our independence from colonialism. A colonialism that thwarted our aspirations, underdeveloped us, and laid the foundations of our current socio-political problems. I congratulate all Nigerians residing in Canada, that we can celebrate this year, in spite of the gloom with which the year started. Our President is reported sick, America has declared us a “country of interest”, and here in Canada, we are apprehensive of the consequences of being unjustly profiled and being segregated against. At home we continue to receive bad news of persistent corruption, and needless blood letting among Christian and Moslem believers. Let me state to you that in spite of stories of gloom and doom, our country is making steady progress in all areas of our national life. For every bad Nigeria, there are over one hundred and forty nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine good Nigerians including you. I challenge anybody to show me a nation on earth, where there are only saints and I would show a nation without human beings. Nigerians are sick of being sick of their country and the old corrupt ways of doing things are being seriously challenged by the example of new efficient and honest ways of conducting affairs. A new emergent responsible leadership has been forged from the furnace of our collective anger and despair. So let us celebrate a new birth and perish gloom and doom this year.

My main message this year to you is, do not despair. Nigeria shall rise in greatness. Restore your confidence that if everybody falls, at least, you will be standing. And if you stand, you may just be what our country needs to revive her institutions, her integrity and indeed her fame. I challenge you, each one of you, to come together and be the change we want to see in our country. The pluralist values we enjoy in Canada, the peace we cherish and the order we take for granted here can be Nigerians too. What needs must be done is to share our good fortune in vision, beliefs and practice with continental Nigerians. Get out of your hiding places and defend the true great tradition of Nigeria as the leading donor country and peace maker on the continent of Africa and indeed globally. Share your remarkable strengths and resilience, your joys and hopes with other Canadians and make your host community even better. Our struggles and sacrifices, the lives of our past heroes and yours cannot be without the purpose of building a place on earth, which 150 million Nigerians of the earth and all oppressed black people can proudly call home.

I challenge you to rise up to those that prophesy doom, those that say we are failing, or have failed and tell them they lie. We will not fail; we will fight to enthrone our true independence, true democracy and our values as proud, hardworking, peace loving, family valuing, generous, passionate, spiritual and happy people.

Raise up your heads all citizens of Nigeria at 50, let us take on fully, the challenges, rights and benefits of our citizenship, as well as the duties and responsibilities, that guarantee for each of us, full partnership in the fortunes and future of our country through unity, sense of community, maturity and loyalty.

Arise fellow citizens, shine in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Foundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and all the provinces and territories of Canada. As we face the global challenge today of being unjustly segregated against at borders of the world, we should not bow to prejudice, but dignify ourselves by transparent integrity, co-operation, and truth.

On behalf of my wife Nancy and the staff of the High Commission, I wish you a happy new year 2010.

Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, PhD, OON
High Commissioner