An Open Letter of Courage to the People of Nigeria
By Hon. Henry Baro
Uvwie-Born Politician | Asiwaju of Delta State | Chieftain, All Progressives Congress (APC)
My Fellow Nigerians,
From the busy streets of Ekpan to Ugborikoko, from Jakpa to Effurun, across Delta and every corner of this great nation Nigeria — peace, strength, and grace be upon you.
Today is June 12. Democracy Day. A day carved from courage, consecrated by citizens, and carried forward by the conviction that the voice of the people cannot be silenced. It is more than a celebration. It is a charge. It is a compass pointing us toward a better tomorrow.
- THE PARABLE OF THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN
There is a parable of a train that must travel through the longest tunnel before it reaches sunlight. Inside that tunnel, passengers feel fear. The air grows heavy. Progress feels slow. But the engineer knows the track does not end in darkness.
Whatever tough times we face today are our tunnel moment. It may be tough and rough now, but it will be good and better tomorrow. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” — Jeremiah 29:11. What tomorrow holds is greater than what today bears.
- THE POWER OF PATIENT PARTNERSHIP
A single finger cannot lift a load. But five fingers, curled into a fist, can break barriers. That is synergy — strength drawn from unity of purpose.
The fight for a better Nigeria is not a solo sprint. It is a collective effort. When builders, brokers, teachers, traders, and torchbearers work in tandem, mountains move. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil” — Ecclesiastes 4:9. We can overcome any challenge today if we stand together.
- FROM FRUSTRATION TO FAITH: KEEP HOPE ALIVE
Hope is not wishful whispering. Hope is a weapon. It is the anchor of the soul in stormy seasons — Hebrews 6:19.
We must not be deterred. We must never give up. Nigeria is like gold in the furnace — the fire is fierce, but the value is being revealed. The same nation that survived war, weathered recessions, and rose after every fall will rise again. Greatness is not cancelled by crisis. Nigeria will be great irrespective of our challenges.
MY CALL TO ACTION
- To every leader: Be a bridge, not a barrier. Serve with sincerity. Lead with listening ears.
- To every citizen: Your vote, your vision, your voice — guard them jealously. Build where you belong.
- To every youth: You are not waiting for tomorrow. You are wiring tomorrow today. Dream big, do bold, delay not.
From Ekpan’s energy to Effurun’s enterprise, I call on all Nigerians: keep hope alive. Speak faith, not fatalism. Sow unity, not unrest. For the God who turned Egypt’s desert into Canaan’s destiny is still turning Nigeria’s story around.
“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land” — 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Today is June 12. Let us mark it with more than memory. Let us meet it with mission. The night has taught us patience. The dawn will teach us power.
With unshakable faith and confidence in our nation,
Hon. Henry Baro
Asiwaju of Delta State
Servant-leader for a stronger Nigeria
