Rev. Fr. Patrick Ampani, Canadian Armed Forces’ chaplain, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for giving Nigerians hope amid unprecedented hardship in peacetime.

He, however, urged the president to do more to alleviate the hardship citizens are experiencing.

Mr Ampani made the call on Tuesday while reacting to Mr Tinubu’s nationwide address during Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

“I am personally grateful that you are aware of what the common citizens are experiencing under your watch. I am happy that you are giving the nation some sense of hope and I hope you will follow your words with actions,” the Canadian chaplain. “I strongly advise and encourage you to do more to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.”

He advised Mr Tinubu to follow the legacy of the country’s founding fathers.

“We commemorate the legacy of the founding fathers, which you generously alluded to in your eloquent speech. as we celebrate our freedom, our history, our heroes, our heritage and our prospect.

“Exactly 64 years ago, Tinubu, in his speech, had said the founding fathers chose democracy as a form of government and launched the dream of a great country that would lead the rest of Africa out of poverty, ignorance, and underdevelopment, a beacon of hope to the rest of Africa and the world,” noted Mr Ampani.

He added, “Over six decades later, we can look back, and Nigerians worldwide can see how well we have succeeded in realising the lofty dreams of our founding fathers.

“The world is witnessing and benefiting from the can-do spirit of the Nigerian people, our massive intellectual capacity, and our enterprise and industry in all vocations, from arts to science, technology to infrastructure.”

(NAN)