₦airaland Forum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked Nigerians to pray for their leaders, saying that the country is on the path of restoration and progress.

The President in his Christmas message which he personally signed, said Christians should use the spirit of the season to renew their “hope and belief in a prosperous Nigeria.”

He also commiserated with those affected by the stampede in Ibadan, Oyo State; Okija, Anambra State and Abuja, praying that Nigeria never witness such tragedy again.
Part of the message said, “On this joyous Christmas Day, I extend my heartfelt greetings to Christians across Nigeria and worldwide as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, as narrated in the Holy Scriptures.

“Christmas embodies the fulfilment of divine prophecy and symbolises the triumph of love, peace, and unity. It is a poignant reminder that light can emerge even in the darkest times, bringing solace and hope. This belief resonates with people of all faiths. Indeed, God is with us.”

President Tinubu said recent tragic stampedes “deeply sadden us, and our thoughts are with those who continue to suffer from these heartbreaking incidents. We earnestly pray that such misfortunes do not revisit our families and communities and that the lives of innocents are never again cut short.

“I offer my deepest sympathies to the families enduring pain and loss this year, whether from floods, fires, or accidents. May we all find comfort and solace in our faith, the support of loved ones, and the abiding presence of Jesus Christ. Our compassionate and merciful God stands with the weak, the brokenhearted, and the sick.”

He said as “we celebrate this blessed season, let us be mindful of those facing difficulties. They are not far from us—our neighbours, family members, and the people we encounter daily, whether in places of worship, markets, offices, or boardrooms.

“Kindness transcends financial status. Those with modest means and those with abundance need a smile or a word of encouragement. We must also honour our brave troops, who risk their lives to safeguard our nation. They deserve our prayers and steadfast support.

“Let us extend similar support and prayers to our nation’s leaders. With your backing, we can serve our country diligently and strive for prosperity.

“Nigeria is on a promising path of restoration and progress, with every indication pointing toward a bright future. In the spirit of this season, let us renew our hope and belief in a prosperous Nigeria.”

For those travelling during this period, the President wished them safe journeys, assuring them that government would take all necessary steps to ensure the transportation routes are secure and convenient.

“We also provide free train services and subsidised road transport costs on 144 routes nationwide to ease your travels,” he said.

Since taking office, Milei, 53, has frozen public-works projects, devalued the peso by more than 50%, and announced plans to lay off more than 70,000 government workers. So far, he sees signs that his economic “shock therapy” is working. Inflation has slowed for four months in a row. The International Monetary Fund has hailed Argentina’s “impressive” progress. Two days before we sat down on April 25 for an hour-long interview, he had given an address to the nation celebrating the “economic miracle” of the country’s first quarterly budget surplus since 2008. Milei thinks he is pioneering an approach that will become a global blueprint. “Argentina will become a model for how to transform a country into a prosperous nation,” he tells me. “I have no doubt

On taking power, Milei implemented a series of austerity measures, including slashing energy and transportation subsidies, laying off tens of thousands of government workers, freezing public infrastructure projects and imposing wage and pension freezes below inflation.

It has been brutal. Unemployment has climbed, economic activity has declined and poverty has surged.

But now signs have emerged that Argentina’s bizarre and long mismanaged economy is starting to look a little more normal.

Monthly inflation has plummeted, bonds have rallied and the closely watched gap between the black market dollar and the official rate has shrunk as much as 44%. Argentina's country-risk index, an influential measure of the risk of default, is at its lowest point in five years