Former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has restated his firm resolve to remain committed to Nigeria’s future, stressing that withdrawal or surrender is not an option despite the country’s worsening political, economic, and security challenges.
Hashim made this position clear in Abuja while addressing a North Central zonal meeting of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, attended by state coordinators from across the region.
Speaking at the forum, he noted that Nigeria’s present condition calls for resilient leadership, structured civic participation, and citizens who are prepared to stay engaged rather than succumb to apathy or hopelessness. He cautioned that abandoning the country would only entrench incompetence, impunity, and poor governance.
According to Hashim, national rebirth can only be achieved through discipline, strategic clarity, and sustained grassroots mobilisation. He emphasised that meaningful transformation is the outcome of intentional and collective action, urging coordinators to deepen engagement at the community level while remaining guided by the principles of accountability, justice, and national cohesion.
The meeting reviewed the operational status of the movement across the North Central zone, evaluated ongoing mobilisation initiatives, and adopted measures to improve coordination and broaden the movement’s footprint within the region.
Participants at the meeting reaffirmed their alignment with the vision of a Nigeria led by competence, integrity, and inclusiveness, pledging to intensify grassroots organising and political education in their respective states.
In a reflective moment, Hashim recounted his early involvement in political activism, which began at the age of 14 as a sympathiser with progressive political movements.
“We were not eligible to vote, but we participated actively by pasting posters and mobilising with enthusiasm,” he recalled. “Even as a teenager, I engaged a family friend who was an NPN member of the National Assembly in discussions on economic management, based on my basic understanding of economics and governance at the time.”
He explained that this early exposure laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to democratic advocacy and good governance, a path that later resulted in his detention as a political detainee in his early twenties.
“Nearly four decades later, we remain resolute,” Hashim said. “We will not relent until the Nigeria we envision becomes a reality, by the grace of God.”
He further charged members to consistently remind Nigerians—particularly the youth—of the country’s historical economic capacity and future potential.
“Let them know that in 1966, Nigeria’s economy was twice the size of Malaysia’s and larger than those of Thailand and Indonesia,” he said. “Remind them that Nigeria once assembled vehicles and tractors and produced vaccines at the Yaba Vaccine Centre. Jobs driven by industrialisation are achievable, as they once were. Our young people are not destined to survive on palliatives. They must also be told about our $4 trillion economic transformation plan.”
The meeting concluded with renewed commitment among members to strengthen organisational structures, sustain advocacy, and remain steadfast in the belief that Nigeria can still be repositioned through principled leadership and collective national effort.
