Nigeria @66: Our Problems Stem from Failure of Values, Principles, Says Daniel Kanu

Three days before the end of the month, civil servants initiated a warning strike in Abuja, according to Prince Daniel Kanu, Chairman of the New Deal Organisation. The strike, which reflects a broader societal issue, is attributed by Kanu to a failure of good values and principles across Nigerian society. The country's ongoing problems cannot be resolved through politics, strikes, or finger-pointing, Kanu asserts.

He calls upon Nigerians to accept their own responsibility in rebuilding the nation, emphasizing the importance of placing national interests above ethnic, religious, and political considerations.

In a message marking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 66th anniversary, Kanu describes the speech as sincere and progressive. He encourages Nigerians to support legitimate institutions and leadership while contributing to the country's repair. Kanu underscores that Nigeria's current state is a result of individual failings by both governmental and non-governmental actors alike. He urges citizens to confront the truth and refrain from self-deception.

Kanu also questions the recent three-day warning strike called by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) over unmet demands expected to be addressed by September 30, 2026. He finds it ironic that some individuals tasked with fixing systemic issues resort to strikes to compel others to address problems that, in part, reside within their own domains of responsibility.

He laments that Nigeria's development is being hampered by the absence of key values such as integrity, honesty, competence, accountability, compassion, and respect for rules. Kanu believes that the solution to Nigeria's challenges lies in the conscious cultivation and practice of these values and principles, including integrity, honesty, respect, competence, compassion, empathy, accountability, and customer service.

While acknowledging the hardships faced by Nigerians, particularly the less fortunate, Kanu maintains that the country's issues predate the current administration. He dismisses politics or industrial action as means to solve Nigeria's problems. Kanu urges Nigerians to shoulder responsibility for the country's progress, echoing the sentiment of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Kanu stresses that Nigeria's abundant natural and human resources will remain underutilized without responsible citizens and institutions, urging Nigerians to prioritize the nation's welfare and rally around the constitution for the benefit of current and future generations.