On October 1, 1960, Nigeria received its Freedom Charter from Princess Alexandra of Kent, marking full independence from Great Britain. As the first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, delivered his historic speech at the ‘Race Course,’ the country stepped into the light, brimming with the promise of oil wealth, unity, and prosperity.
Sixty-five years later, despite its vast population and abundant resources, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The nation is currently defined by pervasive challenges—soaring poverty, institutional corruption, crippling insecurity, and infrastructure deficits—that continue to demand urgent attention.
In this report, Gift Oba gathers reflections from everyday Nigerians on the country’s progress, fears, and hopes for a different future.
“What Exactly Are We Celebrating?”: Citizens Demand Reflection
For many Nigerians, the anniversary is a time for painful reflection rather than outright celebration.
Speaking from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Kehinde Peters, a fabric merchant, questioned the rationale for any festivity, urging leaders to honor past heroes by prioritizing the welfare of the masses.
“My question is, what exactly are we celebrating? Are we celebrating the corruption? Are we celebrating the insecurity? Are we celebrating the pain of the masses?… I don’t think we can honestly say we are proud of who we have become,” she said.
Peters argued that the government’s primary failure isn’t a lack of policies, but a severe lack of proper implementation. She called for leaders to embody “true democracy” by leaving their offices and addressing what truly matters on the streets.
Groaning Under Economic Pressure
The immense pressure of the current economic climate is a recurring theme. Kayode Abiodun, a comedian and social media influencer, conceded that growth is a process, but stressed that 65 years on, citizens are “still laboring and groaning” from the effects of economic hardship.
Abiodun urged the Tinubu administration to accelerate its processes to bring relief. “We feel the pain of past success we ought to have achieved by now,” he said, pleading with the President to “fasten the process so at least we can laugh at the end.”
Similarly, Evans Osagede, a nightlife entrepreneur, lamented the fading excitement for the national holiday. “Unlike in the past when we used to get excited about it, now even if October 1st comes, nobody will be so crazy about it,” he observed. He urged all levels of government to “prioritize us, the masses,” ensuring that business owners can thrive.
The Crisis of Brain Drain in Healthcare
For experts, the key failure lies in effective governance and retaining talent. Akinpelu Akintayo, Executive Director of The Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), acknowledged that the health sector has seen some positive, coordinated changes to funding earlier this year. However, he insisted that this is not enough.
Akintayo highlighted the systemic issues undermining the entire sector:
“We still have situations where our health system is unable to deliver appropriately, we see a lot of [staff] citations by health workers [and] it is not the best for us.”
He stressed that leaders must be deliberate about retaining health workers who are leaving the country. For Akintayo, the anniversary is an opportunity for leaders to reflect on how far they have truly delivered, emphasizing that the focus must shift from policy creation to disciplined, effective implementation and follow-up actions.
The consensus on Nigeria’s 65th anniversary is clear: the country is rich in potential, but that potential remains hostage to poor governance and the failure to execute policies that genuinely impact the lives of ordinary citizens.
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