Nigeria@66: How Far From 1960, How Far To The Nigeria We Dreamed Of?

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By Samuel Ashiwel

On October 1, 1960, Nigeria was born with promise. The Union Jack was lowered, the Green-White-Green was hoisted, and the world looked at Africa's most populous nation as the Black man's great hope. We were a nation with resources, intellect, and resilient people. Sixty-six years later, as we mark another Independence anniversary, it is a time for sober reflection, not just celebration. We must ask ourselves: How far have we truly come from that starting point in 1960, and how much longer is the journey to the Nigeria of our dreams?


THE POLITICAL JOURNEY: FROM NATIONALISTS TO CAREERISTS

Politically, we have travelled a long and winding road. From the parliamentary system of the First Republic led by nationalists who debated ideology and development, we descended into military coups, a 30-month civil war, and 29 years of military dictatorship that eroded our institutions. Since 1999, we have enjoyed 27 years of unbroken civil rule - the longest in our history. That is progress worth acknowledging.

However, the quality of our democracy remains questionable. We have transitioned from politics of service to politics of self-service. Political parties lack ideology; defections are without consequence. Elections are still heavily monetized, ethno-religious sentiments are weaponized, and governance has been reduced to the sharing of allocations rather than generation of value. In 1960, regions competed to out-develop each other through agriculture, education and infrastructure. Today, states compete to out-spend each other from federal oil allocation. We have built a political elite but not a political culture.

THE SOCIAL FABRIC: A DIVERSITY MANAGED POORLY

Socially, Nigeria at independence was a mosaic of over 250 ethnic nationalities with a strong sense of national pride. The national anthem united us. Sixty-six years on, that fabric is stretched thin. Tribalism and religious intolerance, once subtle, have become mainstream. Hate speech, ethnic profiling and bigotry now dominate our public discourse, amplified by social media and exploited by political actors.

Our social values have also shifted. Hard work, integrity and community service - virtues our parents held dear, are gradually being replaced by a get-rich-quick mentality, where wealth is celebrated without questions about its source. Yet, the Nigerian spirit remains unbroken. From Afrobeats dominating global charts, to Nollywood, to our tech innovators in Yaba and Aba, to our sportsmen and women, Nigerians continue to prove that greatness is in our DNA. The problem has never been just the people; it has also been the system that fails the people.

THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC REALITY: POTENTIAL HELD HOSTAGE

This is where the gap between 1960 and 2026 is most painful. At independence, Nigeria’s economy was diversified. The North produced groundnuts, the West produced cocoa, the East produced palm oil. The Naira was stronger than the Dollar, and Nigeria gave loans to other countries.

Today, we are a classic case of poverty in the midst of plenty. We are the world's 6th largest producer of crude oil, yet we import refined fuel. We have 70 million hectares of arable land, yet we import food worth billions of dollars. The vices holding us back are clear and interconnected:

Corruption Institutionalized: From petty bribery to grand looting, corruption has become systemic, crippling public service delivery.

Youth Unemployment and Japa: Over 60% of our population are youths, energetic and creative. But with limited opportunities, millions are unemployed or underemployed, while our best doctors, engineers and lecturers are leaving in droves to build other nations.

*Insecurity and Human Capital Decay: From banditry and kidnapping to cybercrime and ritual killings, insecurity has become an industry. Our public education and healthcare systems are shadows of what they were in the 1960s and 70s.

 We started as a nation that exported produce and hope. Today, we export our human capital.


THE ROAD AHEAD: BUILD IT TOGETHER OR REMAIN BEHIND

How far have we come? We have come far from colonial rule, but we are still very far from our destination. The Nigeria of our dreams - a Nigeria where merit trumps mediocrity, where electricity is constant, where a child in Lagos, Sokoto and a child in Bayelsa have equal access to quality education, where the rule of law works regardless of status. But that Nigeria will not be delivered by a single President, Governor, or political party. It will not be built by just prayers and complaints on social media.

It will be built by citizens who take responsibility. It will be built by the civil servant who refuses to demand a bribe, the teacher who chooses to teach with diligence, the voter who refuses to sell his vote for N5,000, the business owner who pays taxes, the youth who chooses to create rather than destroy, and the leader who understands that public office is a trust, not an estate.

History has shown us that no nation develops until its citizens decide to build it. America, China, Rwanda - none were built by foreigners. We stand at a crossroads. We can either come together, beyond tribe, religion and party, to rebuild this nation with our own hands, or we can continue on this path and forever remain behind time - a giant that never stood up. As we celebrate 66 years, may we choose the harder but nobler path: to build.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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