Nigeria just turned 65. If the country were a human being, this would be the age of retirement, grandchildren, and morning devotion by 5am. But Nigeria? Nigeria is still trying to “find itself.”
We’ve been independent since 1960, yet we still argue about the basics: power supply, fuel prices, and why traffic in Lagos moves slower than NEPA’s return of light. It’s like we left colonial masters but never left colonial habits, always waiting for “the government” to do magic while we continue business as usual.
But here’s the funny thing: despite all our wahala, Nigerians remain some of the happiest, most resilient people in the world. We can laugh at fuel scarcity, crack jokes in the middle of inflation, and even turn politics into memes. If survival had a Guinness World Record, Nigeria would already hold the trophy.
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Independence Day should remind us that we’ve come a long way, but also that we still have a long road ahead. And maybe, just maybe, if we put the same energy we use for “Jollof vs. fried rice” debates into nation-building, Nigeria might just shock us all.
So yes, happy Independence Day! Nigeria may be 65, but like that uncle who still insists he’s “young at heart,” we’re just getting started.