Page 4 - Nigerian Independence Day 2024

The Headmaster’s

Address

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our celebration of the Independence of
Nigeria.

It was only 64 years ago, on 1st October 1960, that the people of Nigeria regained
their Independence from the colonial rule of Great Britain. The Nigeria of today, just
like the Nigeria of the 1960s, is a country that unites many diverse people within one

nation. Today we are celebrating freedom, unity, and diversity.

Diversity is a strength. It brings richness and colour to life and to a culture that
enhances the beauty and creativity of a nation. By embracing diversity, we learn to
accept the validity of other points of view and see the world from different
perspectives.

Yet, for a nation to be strong there needs to be unity and a shared common
experience. Celebrating diversity does not mean sacrificing unity. As Edward

Kennedy astutely observed: “What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.”
In other words, there exists a shared Human experience, common to us all, that binds
us together. At the heart of true Internationalism, one needs to embrace diversity
and recognise commonality.

The flag that we have just raised symbolises freedom, unity, and diversity.
So, as you go through today, please celebrate, because independence is certainly

something to be celebrated, but also remember the significance and the
importance of 1st October 1960, when Nigeria was able to free itself from the rule of
colonial power and emerge as both a simultaneously diverse and united nation.
Have a wonderful day everybody.

What divides us

pales in comparison

to what unites us.

THE REGENT SCHOOL 4 4 THE REGENT SCHOOL 5