The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to transform the country for the good of all.

Wike made the call in his 2025 Distinguish Personality Lecture, titled, “The Nigeria of our Dreams” delivered  at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, on Thursday

He said that no leader, no matter how endowed, equipped or selfless, could truly succeed without the support and cooperation of the citizenry.

The minister advised Nigerians to wake up from years of cynicism, indifference and hopelessness and embrace a new era being birthed by Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, no nation has made any reasonable progress without the robust cooperation and collaboration of its leadership and followership.

“South Africa for instance, under Mandela, achieved independence and made progress as shown in his book’ Long Walk to Freedom’ through this cooperation.

“Dubai is also recording all these great feats through synergy between its leadership and followership.

“The time for belief is here; the time for action is also here. Together with President Tinubu, we can as a people begin the real process of building the Nigeria of our dreams,” he said

The minister also urged  Nigerians to reject the negative narrative that Nigeria would never change for good, stressing that “with the right leadership, nothing is impossible”.

He said that to reclaim Nigeria’s dream, the people must first reclaim the belief in the possibility that the country would be better and reject the defeatist narratives that nothing would change.

According to him, change does not come from the top alone; it bubbles up from the conviction of a determined people.

“The Nigeria of our dreams is not a utopia; it is a Nigeria that works; it is a Nigeria where merit trumps mediocrity, where justice flows like a river.

“The Nigeria of our dream is also where every child, regardless of ethnic group, religion, tongue, or class, has the opportunity to live with dignity and die with honour.

“It is a nation that listens to the heartbeat of its people and allows the soul of democracy to find expression, not only in periodic elections, but in the daily dignity of citizenship.

“It is a place where leaders are not predators on the public purse, but custodians of the people’s trust; where leadership is purposeful, and followership is responsible,” he said.

The minister added that the “Nigeria of our dream is a nation where institutions are stronger than individuals; where the rule of law is not a slogan, but a sacred covenant”.

Wike  emphasised that reclaiming Nigeria’s dream demands a rekindling of its vision and values, stressing that Nigerians must reimagine the country not as victims of its history, but as architects of its destiny.

He also stressed the need to rebuild trust between government and the governed, among ethnic nationalities and across faiths and generations.

The minister also said that to make meaningful progress, Nigerians must rediscover the dignity of labour, the sanctity of truth and the strength of unity.

“Most of all, we must believe again that our country, however flawed, is not beyond redemption.

“This work belongs to all of us. No one is too small to matter or too big to fail.

“Nigeria’s redemption will not be delivered by heroes on horseback, but by ordinary citizens doing extraordinary things: living with integrity, speaking truth to power, raising children with values, and holding firm to hope even when the night is long.

“The dream is not dead. It merely sleeps, waiting for those bold enough, brave enough, and burdened enough to awaken it,” he said. (NAN)

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, led mourners at the funeral prayers for the late elder statesman, former Minister of Education and Petroleum, Prof. Jubril Aminu, at the Abuja National Mosque.

Aminu, a one-time President, African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (OPEC), passed on in Abuja, after a prolonged illness.

The Vice-President, who commiserated with the family of the deceased, prayed to Allah to comfort them and make Aljanna Firdaus the final abode of deceased.

Shettima said that the demise of  Prof Aminu was a great loss to the nation, adding that the late surgeon, educationist and administrator was as a man who saw it all.

He said that the deceased was an intellectual giant, who it would be hard to replace.

“It is a very sad loss. Prof Jibril Aminu was the last of the great titans, an iconic figure who enormously contributed to the development of the nation.

“He was variously the Executive Secretary of NUC, Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri and Honourable Minister of various ministries across the country and left his landmarks on the sands of time.

“He is irreplaceable. May Allah grant him Aljanatul Firdaus and give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“His loss is not just to the good people of Adamawa State, but to the nation and Africa at large.”

Born in Song, Adamawa in 1939, Prof. Aminu was a towering figure in Nigerian public life.

The late Consultant Cardiologist served the nation in different capacities, including as Federal Minister of Education and later Federal Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (1989–1992).

He was also an Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States (1999–2003), and Senator representing Adamawa Central (2003–2011). (NAN)

Civil servants under the Federal Workers Forum have appealed to the Federal Government to pay outstanding arrears, including wage awards and promotion allowances.

In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and copied to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, the forum urged urgent action to address long-standing issues affecting federal workers.

The group noted that the challenges had worsened, particularly since the removal of fuel subsidy.

The letter, signed by Mr Andrew Emelieze, National Coordinator, Mr Itoro Obong, National Secretary, and Mr Razaq Oseni, Publicity Secretary, emphasised the growing frustration among workers.

They noted that ten months had passed since the implementation of the new national minimum wage, but full compliance remained a problem.

“We call on you to ensure full implementation of the minimum wage by June 30, 2025, and immediate payment of ten months’ arrears dating back to August 2024,” the letter stated.

They also demanded payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance in June salaries, along with ten months’ arrears, and the introduction of a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) by June.

The group condemned the selective payment of wage awards and urged the government to ensure all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) received the first tranche and any pending arrears.

They also demanded the payment of promotion arrears owed over the years, particularly to judicial workers and staff of tertiary institutions and the federal health sector.

Other demands include the reinstatement of leave bonuses, payment of 13th-month incentives, hazard allowances, and a long service award.

Additionally, the forum warned against borrowing from the contributory pension fund, stressing it was not intended for government loans.

The letter expressed hope for prompt government action, emphasizing that timely intervention would prevent the need for federal workers to escalate their demands through physical demonstrations.(NAN)