Every year, with vibrant parades, cultural displays, and patriotic songs, we chant “Happy Independence Day!” It’s the annual refrain of a nation that fought for freedom, a nation that emerged from the shackles of British colonialism in 1960. But beyond the celebrations, beneath the surface of the fireworks and the green-white-green flags fluttering in the wind, a question lingers painfully in the hearts of many Nigerians: Are we truly independent?
The answer is more complex and more heartbreaking than we’d like to admit.
When Nigeria gained independence on October 1st, 1960, there was hope in the air. The journey to freedom had been long and arduous, but we believed the hardest part was behind us. We envisioned a Nigeria that would rise like a phoenix, that would prove to be the “Giant of Africa.” Yet, 64 years later, we find ourselves grappling with countless challenges that have stunted our growth, challenges that have made us question the very essence of our freedom.
Let’s revisit the path that has brought us here.
1960-1966: The First Republic – A Short-lived Dream
The euphoria of independence quickly faded as the First Republic struggled to define itself. Our first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, faced the daunting task of unifying a country deeply divided along ethnic and regional lines. It wasn’t long before this dream of unity turned into a nightmare of distrust, nepotism, and corruption. The promise of independence was cut short by political instability and the greed of power-hungry elites. The dream of a united Nigeria crumbled in the early hours of January 15, 1966, when the first military coup took place, plunging the nation into chaos. That coup was not just the assassination of leaders; it was the murder of hope.
1966-1979: Military Rule – The Era of Endless Coups
Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi took over, but his rule was short-lived, lasting only a few months before he, too, was overthrown. What followed were years of military dictatorships; Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo; each regime coming with its promises of salvation, each one leaving us with more scars.
The civil war from 1967 to 1970 left a deep wound in the nation, one that still aches today. Brothers turned against brothers, and the once united nation was torn apart by ethnic and regional tensions. Millions died, dreams were shattered, and a generation was lost to the brutality of war.
But did we learn? Did we heal?
The subsequent years of military rule brought corruption to unimaginable heights. Oil, the black gold that should have been our blessing, became a curse. As military leaders siphoned billions, the average Nigerian sank deeper into poverty. We watched helplessly as a few got richer, while the majority, trapped in the shackles of poverty, grew poorer.
1979-1983: The Second Republic – Hope Rekindled, Only to Be Extinguished
The Second Republic brought a brief glimmer of hope when Shehu Shagari became President in 1979. For a moment, it seemed that democracy could return Nigeria to the path of greatness.
But that hope was short-lived as corruption, economic mismanagement, and political unrest took center stage. By 1983, the military had returned, with Major General Muhammadu Buhari promising to rid the nation of corruption and restore discipline. But instead of freedom, Nigerians faced repression. Was this independence? Was this the freedom our forefathers dreamed of?
1985-1993: The Endless Cycle – Military Dictatorships of Babangida and Abacha
General Ibrahim Babangida, with his cunning charm, brought a deceptive calm. But beneath the façade lay a deepening economic crisis, and corruption became more rampant than ever. The Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), a policy forced upon us by international lenders, only deepened the suffering of everyday Nigerians, sending countless families into poverty. The value of the naira crumbled, our industries died, and dreams were buried.
Then came Sani Abacha, and the darkest years of our history unfolded. Human rights were trampled, voices of dissent silenced, and the nation’s wealth was looted on an unimaginable scale. It was a time of fear, a time when hope was outlawed, and even the whisper of freedom felt dangerous.
1999-Present: Democracy, But at What Cost?
In 1999, we thought we had finally emerged from the tunnel of military rule. Olusegun Obasanjo returned, this time as a civilian president, heralding the start of the Fourth Republic. But democracy brought its own demons; corruption, nepotism, and incompetence. We watched as promises of improved infrastructure, healthcare, and education fell by the wayside.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua offered hope, but his tenure was cut short by illness and finally death. Goodluck Jonathan followed, and his years were marred by Boko Haram insurgency, corruption scandals, and mismanagement. For many Nigerians, hope had become a luxury they could no longer afford.
Then came Muhammadu Buhari, ‘The Messiah’ as many Nigerians thought, promising changes in 2015. But instead, we watched as insecurity worsened, inflation soared, and our naira lost its value. And now, under the regime of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our struggles have only deepened.
2023-Present: The Tinubu Era – A New Chapter of Woes?
We all thought Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration would bring a glimmer of relief, that finally, the dark clouds would lift. But the reality has been harsh and unforgiving. Since his inauguration in May 2023, the naira has lost its value at an alarming rate, plunging ordinary Nigerians into further hardship.
The declaration that “fuel subsidy is gone” felt like the beginning of a new era, but instead, it became the trigger for a wave of untold suffering.
Almost overnight, fuel prices soared, and with them, the cost of everything else followed; transportation, food, electricity, even basic amenities. Today, many Nigerians find themselves grappling with the harsh reality of not being able to afford a single meal a day. How can we celebrate freedom when the price of survival is beyond our reach? How can we claim independence when we’re shackled by poverty and the rising cost of living?
As inflation climbs, the average Nigerian feels the weight of a broken economy more than ever before. Rent is unaffordable, electricity tariffs keep rising, and businesses are shutting down under the strain of exorbitant costs. Young people, the supposed hope of the nation, are jobless, helpless, and disillusioned. How do we explain to a generation that was promised a better future that this is the reality of their independence?
Every day, we ask ourselves: Is this the Nigeria we dreamt of? Is this the freedom we celebrate?
64 Years Later: Independence But Not Free
Today, our youth flee the country in droves, seeking greener pastures abroad, convinced that the “Giant of Africa” has failed them. Our hospitals lack basic facilities, our schools are in disrepair, and our roads are death traps. Mothers weep over the graves of their children lost to preventable diseases, to the brutality of bandits, to the silence of a government that doesn’t seem to care.
What kind of independence is this when a nation’s potential is shackled by corruption, greed, and incompetence? What kind of freedom do we have when the majority of our people can’t afford a decent meal, when the dreams of our youth are crushed under the weight of unemployment and hopelessness?
Are we truly free when insecurity has turned us into prisoners in our own homes? Are we truly independent when our leaders betray us, when our nation’s wealth is siphoned into foreign accounts, when our voices are drowned out by the silence of indifference?
We celebrate independence, but we are not free. Our nation, Nigeria, is like a bird whose wings have been clipped, yearning to soar but trapped in the cage of its challenges.
We must ask ourselves: When will Nigeria truly be free? When will the giant rise from its knees and walk tall again?
The answers lie within us. And perhaps, one day, when we chant “Happy Independence,” it will not just be words; it will be the echo of a truly liberated nation.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE!
