The UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed says she has not heard President Bola Tinubu complain about the challenges he inherited from his predecessor when he assumed office as president.
Mohammed made the remarks at an award dinner at Nigeria House in New York to celebrate Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary and the Independence Day Parade and Carnival.
The UN deputy chief said Tinubu “fought hard to get to that seat”, even though he said “it was his turn”.
“But he also told us that he wasn’t going to complain about what he got. I have not heard him complain.
“People around him complain about what he inherited but he doesn’t,” she said.
Mohammed also said so far, Tinubu “is the president of Nigeria. It is God that put him on that seat.
“It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to get behind him and do the best we can for Nigeria. Except you’re trying to tell me that God made a mistake.”
She congratulated Nigeria and Nigerians on the 65th independence anniversary, saying that the future is bright for the country.
“We are a work in progress and we are 65 years old as a country.
“However, unless you are part of building a nation, no one else is going to do it for you.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are in the country or outside the country,” she said.
Mohammed called for concerted efforts to build the country and not pull it down, saying, “if we get into the pull- down syndrome, then who else is going to pull us up?
“What else are we telling our children? What else are we telling people that we want as our partners?
“If we are the first people to say that we’re no good, we’re not good enough, and I hope that we just stop doing that.
“This is because Nigerians are the hardest working, most ambitious, and proud people.”
She recounted the great work that she and other African women have done at the UN and other international organisations to uplift humanity.
The former Nigerian Minister of Environment, advised Nigerians in the diaspora to go back home, not only as visitors but as stakeholders that would spend quality time in the country and as investors.
Mohammed, who completes a two-term tenure of eight years as deputy to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres by December 31, 2025, said she looked forward to returning home to contribute to Africa’s development.
“I hope that all of you will pray for my safe return home again next year, because there are things to do at home.
“There are things to do on the continent, and we have to go back, and we have to shape that,” she said.
Mohammed called for youth mentorship and empowerment, saying they made up 70 per cent of the nation’s population and have energy and vision.
She said “intergenerational dialogue must happen” and “we have to listen to them” adding, “let’s make sure that we’re pushing them further”.
She said the older generation must give the youth a chance by “standing beside them because we have the wisdom and the experience”.
She particularly called for the empowerment of women by giving them opportunities to contribute to peace and development.
According to her, Nigeria can realise its potential faster with women given more opportunities.
“And that means that Nigeria is flying on half a wing. We have an eagle. It’s only got one wing, and the other wing has to be lifted for us to fly higher.
“So women count. They count not just because of the numbers, but because of using the value of professional women, or women at home, or rural women or women or women in politics.
“Let’s not lose the other half because without it, we will not stand. We will not fly by itself.”
The UN deputy chief commended the federal government on the introduction of Chinese language into Nigeria’s school curriculum, saying Chinese is a language of trade and China is a huge trading country with the world.
