I Will Never Give Up On Nigeria, Says Olawepo-Hashim

Former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has declared that he will never give up on Nigeria, insisting that the country’s worsening political, economic and security challenges require commitment, not retreat.

Hashim made the declaration in Abuja during a North Central zonal meeting of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, attended by state coordinators from across the region.

In a statement released by his media office and made available to THE WHISTLER online on Saturday, the former presidential hopeful said surrendering to despair would amount to abandoning Nigeria to mediocrity, impunity and misrule.

According to him, the nation’s present condition calls for courageous leadership, organised civic action, and citizens who are willing to remain engaged in shaping the country’s future.

“Nigeria’s challenges demand steadfast leadership and disciplined organisation. Retreating into apathy is not an option if we are serious about rebuilding this country,” Hashim was quoted as saying.

He stressed that national renewal does not happen by accident but through deliberate, sustained, and collective effort driven from the grassroots.

Hashim urged coordinators of the movement to deepen community engagement across the North Central zone while remaining guided by the principles of accountability, justice and national unity.

The meeting reviewed the state of the movement in the region, assessed ongoing mobilisation efforts and agreed on strategies to strengthen coordination and expand its reach.

Coordinators at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to a Nigeria governed by competence, integrity and inclusiveness, pledging to intensify grassroots organisation and political education in their respective states.

In a personal reflection,Olawepo-Hashim recalled that his political activism began at the age of 14 when he became a sympathiser of progressive political parties during Nigeria’s Second Republic.

“We were not of voting age then, but we pasted posters and sang with excitement,” he said. “I even engaged an NPN member of the National Assembly, who was a family friend, in discussions about economic management based on my basic knowledge at the time.”

He explained that his early involvement in political advocacy later led to his detention as a political detainee at about the age of 20, reinforcing his lifelong commitment to democracy and good governance.

“Almost 40 years later, we are still standing. We will not give up until we see the Nigeria of our dreams, by the grace of God,” Olawepo-Hashim said.

He also urged members to educate Nigerians, particularly the youth, about the country’s past economic strengths and its potential for recovery.

“Tell the people that in 1966 Nigeria’s economy was twice the size of Malaysia’s and bigger than those of Thailand and Indonesia,” he said.

Olawepo-Hashim added that Nigeria once assembled cars and tractors and produced vaccines locally, noting that industrialisation could again create jobs and reduce dependence on palliatives.

“Let young people know that jobs through industrialisation are possible, as we had before. They are not condemned to a life of dependency. We have a $4 trillion plan for economic transformation,” he said.

The meeting ended with renewed resolve among members to strengthen organisation, sustain advocacy and remain firm in the belief that Nigeria can still be rescued through principled leadership and collective action.

I Will Never Give Up On Nigeria, Says Olawepo-Hashim is first published on The Whistler Newspaper