The Kwara State Government on Friday said that the 58th Independence Anniversary celebration would be low-keyed in the state as a result of the ongoing strike by the organised labour.
The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Hon Muyideen Alalade, stated this while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after a Special Juma’at Service at the Ilorin Central Mosque to commemorate the National Day.
According to him, it will be very difficult to mark the anniversary with funfare when the country is in a sober reflection and faced with a lot of economic challenges.
Alalade said: “It is going to be low-key because of the sober reflection of the country now.
“The civil servants are on strike now, the economy is down and even the students and pupils that ordinarily add colour to it are not in schools.”
Alalade urged Nigerians to always pray for the country so that things could go right at all times.
The Commissioner explained that the state organised the special Juma’at prayer to seek for mercy from Allah as the country marked its 58th independence anniversary.
He said: “We just have to go back to God and pray as we are moving to electioneering year.”
On the nationwide strike, he urged the Federal Government to yield to the call of the labour, saying that the high rate of inflation and level of poverty in the land had justified review of minimum wage.
He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be father to all in the 2019 general elections, saying the Nigerian leader should see the poll beyond All Progressives Congress (APC) affairs.
Meanwhile, as part of activities marking the celebration, special prayer was organised for peace to reign in the country by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kwara State chapter, at Strong Tower Chapel, Tanke, Ilorin, on Sunday.
