By Akinbola Aduragbemi Miracle
October 1 again.
Another Independence Day.
Another year of green and white everywhere. Another round of “Happy Independence Day, Nigeria” messages. Another time when we remember that on October 1, 1960, Nigeria became an independent nation.
This year, Nigeria is 66.
66 years .
That is a long time.
And honestly, I think Independence Day should be more than posting the Nigerian flag on our WhatsApp status.
It should make us pause for a moment and ask ourselves:
How far have we really come?
I am not asking this question because I think Nigeria has achieved nothing.
That would not be true.
There are things to celebrate.
There are Nigerians doing amazing things in science, technology, business, education, entertainment, agriculture and many other fields. There are young Nigerians creating businesses, building careers and solving problems with whatever resources they have.
Even the Federal Government, as part of this year’s anniversary activities, says the country is moving from economic reforms and stabilisation towards growth and shared prosperity. The theme for the 66th anniversary is “ From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity.”
There is progress.
But there is also work to do.
And saying that does not mean we hate Nigeria.
Sometimes, loving a country means being honest about the things that need to change.
Take education, for example.
The Federal Ministry of Education’s 2024/2025 Annual School Census recorded almost 40 million learners across the country. But it also recorded a national learner-to-classroom ratio of 60.1 , compared with the Universal Basic Education standard of 35. The same data showed that only 53.7 per cent of schools reported their information, so the figures should be understood within that limitation.
Then UNICEF reports that more than 10 million primary-school-age children are out of school , while only about one in four children can read at a basic level.
These are not just numbers.
Somewhere, there is a child behind that number.
A child who should be in a classroom.
A child who may one day become a doctor, teacher, scientist, engineer, entrepreneur or even the person making decisions for this country.
This is why we cannot only celebrate the number of years Nigeria has existed.
We must also think about the quality of the country we are building.
The same applies to healthcare.
The same applies to security.
The same applies to employment.
The same applies to the cost of living.
The government has a huge responsibility here.
And I believe Nigerians should be able to say this without it becoming a political fight.
We want you to do better.
Not because we expect everything to change overnight.
Not because we believe every problem started with the present administration.
But because there is always room to improve.
If a policy is working, sustain it.
If it is not working as expected, look at it again.
If money is allocated for something, Nigerians should be able to see the result.
If a road is constructed, let it serve the people for more than a short period.
If money is budgeted for education, let it reach the classrooms.
If reforms are introduced, let the benefits eventually reach the ordinary Nigerian.
The Federal Government itself has said that the next phase of its reforms should translate into more jobs, higher incomes, better access to education and credit, lower costs and wider economic opportunities.
Those are good goals.
Now, the important thing is implementation.
Because Nigerians are not only interested in hearing what the government plans to do.
They want to experience the difference.
But while we ask government to do better, we also need to look at ourselves.
We complain about corruption, but some of us still look for someone to “settle” before a service can be done.
We complain about bad leadership, but we sometimes refuse to obey simple rules.
We complain about the state of the country, but how many of us are actually contributing to making our immediate environment better?
Nigeria belongs to all of us.
Government has a responsibility.
Citizens have responsibilities too.
And maybe that is one of the things Independence Day should remind us about.
We inherited a country.
Now we are responsible for what we leave behind.
So, as Nigeria turns 66, I do not think we need another argument about whether Nigeria is good or bad.
Nigeria is our country.
It has its beautiful sides.
It has its painful sides.
It has made progress.
It still has serious challenges.
Both things can be true at the same time.
What we need now is to keep building.
Government should listen more, improve where necessary and make policies that Nigerians can actually feel in their everyday lives.
Citizens should also stop seeing nation-building as somebody else’s job.
Because the Nigeria we keep praying for will still require people who are willing to build it.
So yes, let’s celebrate.
Let’s fly the flag.
Let’s remember those who fought for independence.
Let’s appreciate how far we have come.
But after the celebration, let us return to work.
There is still so much to do.
Nigeria is 66 .
And perhaps the biggest question is not just, “How many years have we spent as an independent nation?”
It is:
“ What are we going to do with the next one?”
Happy 66th Independence Anniversary, Nigeria. 🇳🇬
