Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, delivered a searing critique of Nigeria’s current state during The Unveiling and Public Presentation of the Book: THE HIDDEN TREASURES by Chris Iyovwaye, turning the literary event into a platform for urgent national reflection.
Addressing an audience that included a former President, prominent statesmen, political leaders, and civil society figures, Dalung praised Chris Iyovwaye for producing what he described as a timely and intellectually rich contribution to the national discourse. He emphasised that The Hidden Treasures provides valuable insight for younger generations seeking to understand Nigeria’s political evolution and governance challenges.
However, Dalung warned that Nigeria’s reality demands more than ideas alone. He described the country as “bleeding profusely,” weighed down by rampant kidnappings, killings, attacks on servicemen, and the widespread collapse of security. According to him, democracy in Nigeria is “drifting into the abyss,” and the country is “wandering in the wilderness without direction.”
Dalung argued that Nigeria’s structural problems can only be solved by returning to the foundational agreements negotiated by the country’s founding fathers at Lancaster House in 1954. He insisted that unless the nation embraces genuine restructuring based on those principles, progress will remain impossible.
Calling leadership the nation’s greatest deficit, Dalung noted that Nigeria’s crisis is not a lack of resources but a chronic absence of visionary, selfless leadership. He reminded the audience that Nigeria’s earliest political and military leaders—such as Gowon, Babangida, Awolowo, and others—were young when they took responsibility for shaping the nation. He urged the contemporary elderly political class to guide and support younger Nigerians who must once again “rescue the country.”
In a symbolic moment, Dalung declined a request for further donations at the event, arguing that focusing on monetary gestures rather than national restructuring exemplifies the misplaced priorities that hold Nigeria back.
He concluded by commending Chris Iyovwaye for his diligence and foresight in writing The Hidden Treasures, expressing hope that the book would provoke deep reflection and spur meaningful action. But his message remained clear: “Ideas must now lead to action if Nigeria is to reclaim its future.”
