Uzor Arukwe Advocates For Unity And Humanity In Independence Day Message To Nigerians

Nollywood actor Uzor Arukwe has called for unity and shared humanity among Nigerians in his Independence Day message.

In a lengthy post shared on his Instagram page on Thursday, Arukwe said storytelling has taught him that people are not as different as they think. He noted that every character he plays lets him walk in another person's shoes and experience shared culture, struggles, and hopes.

He added that when these stories travel beyond Nigeria, they show the world that there is more that connects people than separates them.

Comparing filmmaking to national unity, the movie star noted how an award-winning film brings together people from different backgrounds, faiths, and languages, all working towards one shared vision. According to him, when the film wins, everyone celebrates, from the actor and director to the cleaner, makeup artist, and driver.

The award-winning actor acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are facing, from the tight economy to fuel scarcity and long queues. He praised their resilience and their ability to find reasons to laugh, create, and hope.

He admitted that the Nigerian story is still being written and everyone has a part to play.

He wrote:
"Happy Independence Day, Nigeria. For me, storytelling has always been a reminder that we are not as different as we sometimes think. Every character I play, every story I tell, is an opportunity for me to walk in another person's shoes & experience our shared humanity, our culture, our struggles and our hopes. And when those stories travel beyond Nigeria, they remind the world that there is so much more that connects us than separates us."

"Filmmaking has taught me that something beautiful can only happen when different people come together for one purpose. Think about an award-winning film. Nobody is asking who the person beside them is praying to, what language they speak at home or which part of Nigeria they come from. We are just trying to get the scene right with the shared vision of telling a beautiful story. And when that film eventually wins an award, everybody celebrates. The actor. The director. The cleaner. The production assistant. The makeup artist. The driver who somehow found his way through Lagos traffic. The writer. The camera team. The producer. Everybody. Different people. Different roles. One story."

"I pray we carry that same spirit as Nigerians Rain no dey select which house to fall on..so na all of us dey feel this tight economy. We have all sat in traffic wondering how a 20-minute journey became two hours. We've all spent hours on queue trying to buy fuel at ridiculous prices during fuel scarcity. We've stretched what was meant to last a week. We've sent money home when we probably needed it ourselves. We've complained about Nigeria in the morning and still united in the evening to defend the honor of our country. Times are hard, yet, we keep going. We keep showing up. We keep finding reasons to laugh, to catch cruise, to create, to dream and to hope."

"That is the Nigeria I believe in. A Nigeria where our differences add colour to our story, not become the reason we stop listening to one another. The Nigerian story is still being written. And we all have a part to play. Different roles. One story. One Nigeria. We need each other. Happy Independence Day, my people. God bless Nigeria."