Mr. Osita Okechukwu, former Director-General at the Voice of Nigeria, VON, has advised Nigerians to count their blessings as the country commemorates its 64th Independence Anniversary in October.

Okechukwu, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this in Enugu on Sunday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He affirmed the event called for a mindful deliberation, in spite of the prevailing socioeconomic challenges in the country.

The former DG of the Voice of Nigeria said, “I was five years old during the independence in 1960, and it's valuable to look back and appreciate what we have achieved as a country.

“Among such blessings is a united nation, a rapidly growing population, especially with youth’s demographic advantage, an increasing number of universities, tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools, more hospitals, roads, and railways, among others.

“I sincerely thank God,” he stated.

Okechukwu affirmed that Nigeria was at the beginning of a period when “policies of public interest and common good will triumph over greedy policies of planlessness.”

He portrayed Nigerians as good followers, stating that in no distant time, things would change for the better.

“My opinion, despite respect to our leaders, is that our previous leaderships had good motives but lacked the political will to dedicate class suicide.

“Unless leaders are able to make remarkable changes, how can they successfully use our resources to lift millions out of poverty and greatly transform Nigeria?"

For without class suicide, how can leadership utilise our great human and material resources to raise millions out of poverty and greatly ignite Nigeria’s rapid renewal?” He asked rhetorically.