A civic group has urged Nigerians to use the New Year as an opportunity for “sober reflection and renewed determination”, calling for unity, truthfulness in leadership and a collective commitment to national renewal.
In a New Year message, the group said the period should “symbolise a genuine new beginning for our nation”, urging citizens and leaders to take democracy seriously beyond elections.
“May this be the year we take our democracy seriously, not just as a ritual of elections, but as a daily commitment to unity, justice, accountability, compassion, and the rule of law,” the statement said.
It added that the New Year should mark “the start of a true rebirth for Nigeria”, where citizens muster the courage to confront national shortcomings and build “a broad national consensus based on integrity, fairness, and shared sacrifice”.
The group called on political leaders and public office holders to embrace transparency and honesty, stressing that leadership depends on trust.
“We call on those in positions of authority to rediscover the sacred duty of truth-telling—about their backgrounds, intentions, policies, actions, and even their health. Leadership thrives on trust, and trust is only possible with honesty,” it said.
According to the statement, public office should be regarded as “a solemn call to service rather than a platform for personal enrichment”, while public resources should be managed “with transparency, discipline, and a deep sense of responsibility to both current and future generations”.
The group also appealed for compassion and sacrifice, urging that the needs of the poor and vulnerable be prioritised in national planning.
“May this New Year also be a time for compassion and sacrifice, where we consciously put the needs of the poor, the weak, and the forgotten at the centre of our national conscience,” it said.
It argued that national progress should be measured by the quality of life enjoyed by citizens rather than displays of wealth or ceremony.
“A nation is not defined by the grandeur of its celebrations but by the dignity of life it offers its citizens,” the statement said, adding: “Let us prioritise a better standard of living over elaborate funerals; let us invest more in hospitals than in hearses, more in schools than in slogans, and more in jobs and productivity than in extravagance and waste.”
The group concluded by calling for renewed commitment to building an inclusive and functional country.
“Above all, may this year renew our collective resolve to create a Nigeria that truly works for all—just in its laws, productive in its economy, united in its diversity, and humane in its treatment of every citizen,” it said, adding: “A new Nigeria is possible.”
