Nigeria at 65: Celebrate or Complain? A Brutal Inventory of a Nation That is Still Waiting. 

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

65 years of independence, millions still unfree; is this the PARTY or the PROTEST?

October 1, 2025; Today Nigeria turns 65. Sixty-five years after a proud “GOOD MORNING, NIGERIA” and the handing over of colonial keys, a short, simple question refuses to go away: IS THERE ANY GENUINE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE? If celebration means parading achievements; stable electricity, full hospitals, decent schools, security in every region, a currency people can trust and a population that is not hungry, then the answer is not a cheerful “yes.” It is a complicated, discomforting “NOT YET.”

Let us begin with the cold arithmetic. The economy shows faint green shoots in official statistics: headline inflation has eased from the peaks of recent years to about 20.1% in August 2025 and the IMF has nudged its 2025 growth projection into positive territory (around 3.4%). That is progress; but context matters. For most Nigerians, falling inflation from an unbearable peak to a still-punishing 20% does not translate to cheaper food, affordable medicine or meaningful wage power. The Central Bank’s recent policy tweaks and interest-rate cuts are important, but they are corrective needles, not a cure for a sick system.

On security and civic trust, the LEDGER is WORSE. Regions of the country remain under the blight of insurgency, banditry and kidnapping; civilian life in places is lived with the constant thrum of fear. Political tensions have hardened into institutional distrust: high-profile detentions and contested court processes have become part of the national drama, underscoring that the rule of law is still fragile for many. The recent courtroom orders and repeated legal showdowns involving separatist and opposition figures are a reminder that the crown of sovereignty sometimes feels like a heavy crown of discord.

If independence at 65 were to be measured by civic pride and national ceremony, this year’s official calendar offers an apt metaphor for our contradictions. The federal government declared October 1 a public holiday and then cancelled the central parade that traditionally showcased the best of our military and civic institutions. Symbolically, it was as if the state were saying: “We will mark the day, but with caution.” It is a fine mirror of a nation that wants to be seen as mature but often chooses optics over substantive repair.

Voices on the street and on social media are blunt. Activist Omoyele Sowore (who has made “FREEDOM” his watchword) asks an uncomfortable question: how do you wish people “HAPPY INDEPENDENCE” who are not in fact independent from HUNGER, POOR GOVERNANCE and FEAR? His rhetorical provocation is not nihilism; it is a call to examine the yawning gap between ceremonial independence and everyday liberty. Meanwhile comedians and social critics like Gordons and I Go Dye use ridicule and satire to puncture the pomp: their jokes contain the sting of truth, that our national house was built on shaky foundations and our leaders keep painting over the cracks. Satire here is not frivolity; it is a civic thermometer.

From the technocratic bench, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (an economist and global diplomat who has repeatedly warned about governance failures in Nigeria) reminds us that structural reform is not optional. Her public interventions and published commentary stress that corruption, poor public goods delivery and weak institutions are the clamps that stifle investment and opportunity. She has argued, repeatedly and patiently, that national wealth alone does not make citizens free; how the state allocates resources, invests in education/ health and attracts responsible capital does. Words from the global stage: PROGRESS requires COMPETENCE as much as cash.

And then there are the politicians whose rhetoric swings between consoling citizens and sparring over blame. Opposition leader Atiku Abubakar (a veteran of Nigeria’s national stage) hailed Nigerians resilience on this anniversary while pointing a finger at the ruling administration for “ABANDONING” citizens to economic pain. His message is part consolation, part indictment: Nigerians have held the country together through courage and improvisation, but representation and accountable governance are glaringly absent.

So: is there cause to celebrate? There is cause to acknowledge endurance. Nigerians are resilient, inventive and endlessly resourceful. From the markets of Kano to tech hubs in Lagos and diaspora remittances that cushion families, resilience is real and worthy of respect. But celebration must not be a substitute for critique. A birthday cake with frosting over rotten fruit is still rotten fruit beneath.

What would genuine celebration (the kind that honors the spirit of independence) actually look like? First, an honest reckoning. The nation must measure itself by lives lived in dignity: lower child mortality, functioning schools, reliable power, safe streets, transparent budgets and a justice system that protects rather than persecutes. Second, a social compact: when citizens pay taxes, they must see public goods. When the state borrows or reformers devalue the currency, the burden should not fall disproportionately on the poorest. Third, inclusion: our democracy must be more than elections; it must be a system where the voices of youth, women and marginalized regions alter policy outcomes.

There is another painful truth: the conversation about Nigeria at 65 is also about choices. For decades, elites have rationed national opportunity through patronage and short-term deals. Artists and satirists, from Gordons to I Go Dye, have lampooned that pattern because laughter sometimes reaches where speeches fail. Activists like Sowore insist that citizenship requires agency, not just slogans. If independence is to mean anything, it must mean the removal of systems that convert public money and trust into private gain.

So how should the citizen respond on this October 1? Not by blind rejoicing. Nor by despair. By demanding accountability, by voting with courage, by supporting institutions that strengthen rather than erode the social fabric and by insisting that our leaders stop treating the country like a family business. If the state cannot deliver the basics, then the people must reform the state.

Nigeria at 65 is not a simple story of failure or triumph. It is a liminal nation; one foot in a painful inheritance, one foot in an uncertain future. There are measurable gains and stubborn, systemic failures side by side. The choice for every Nigerian and for every member of the diaspora who loves this country, is whether this anniversary will be a moment of self-congratulation or a day of recommitment to fundamental change.

If we are honest, we will do both: PAUSE to HONOR the SACRIFICES that BIRTHED the NATION, then get to WORK. The party must end early enough for the real work of nation-building to begin again and with CLARITY, COURAGE and CONSCIENCE.

— George Omagbemi Sylvester, SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Use Your Security Vote to Address Insecurity and Stop the Blame Game – Arewa Youth Tells Gov Dauda Lawal

The Arewa Youth Network for Peace (AYNP) has described Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal as an utterly ineffective leader whose tenure has plunged the state into a cesspool of insecurity, illegal mining, and governance collapse.

In a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the group accused Lawal of squandering Zamfara’s vast resources while offering nothing but excuses, starkly contrasting his failures with the tangible achievements of other governors like Nasarawa’s Abdullahi Sule.

“Dauda Lawal is a monumental disappointment, a governor who has turned Zamfara into a bandit’s paradise while hiding behind hollow rhetoric,” said Comrade Yusuf Idris, the group’s convener.

“Unlike his counterparts who have transformed their states with far less, Lawal has no achievements to his name—only a legacy of chaos, misery, and misrule.”

The group drew inspiration from Governor Sule’s remarks at the 2025 Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit in Abuja, where he challenged governors to take full responsibility for security amid unprecedented federal allocations.

Sule revealed that monthly disbursements to the three tiers of government have quadrupled under President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, with over N2.2 trillion shared in August alone, compared to N590 billion to N620 billion in 2019.

“Every state now has the resources to secure its people. We should stop blaming anybody for our security. If we are blaming anybody, blame ourselves,” Sule declared.

The Arewa Youth Network turned this into a scathing indictment of Lawal’s leadership. “While Sule has attracted investors to build a 3,000-metric-tonne-per-day mineral processing plant and completed another 6,000-tonne facility in Nasarawa, Lawal has allowed illegal mining to flourish in Zamfara, bankrolling bandits and devastating communities,” Idris charged.

“Zamfara’s security vote is a bottomless pit, yet bandits roam freely, schools remain shuttered, and farmers are too terrified to till their land. Lawal’s administration is a masterclass in incompetence.”

The group didn’t hold back, accusing Lawal of abandoning Zamfara’s people to their fate. “Under Lawal, governance is a myth. Roads are death traps, hospitals are empty shells, and communities are ghost towns.

“He has failed to deliver even a single project that justifies the billions pouring into Zamfara monthly,” Idris said.

“Compare this to Nasarawa, where Sule has confirmed oil reserves of five to seven million barrels and expanded rice cultivation from 3,300 to 8,000 hectares. Lawal’s only talent is pointing fingers while Zamfara burns.”

The youth network further slammed Lawal for his apparent indifference to the suffering of Zamfara’s citizens. “Villages are sacked daily, women and children are kidnapped, and illegal miners operate with impunity under Lawal’s nose. Is this what leadership looks like?

“He should be ashamed to call himself a governor,” Idris fumed. “His security vote is a scandal, vanishing into thin air with no results.

“Lawal is not just failing—he’s actively making things worse.”

The group called on Lawal to take a cue from proactive governors like Sule, who have harnessed increased allocations to drive security and development.

“Stop whining, stop blaming others, and start governing. Zamfara’s people deserve a leader, not a chronic underachiever who watches as the state collapses,” Idris said.

“If Lawal cannot deliver, he should resign and spare Zamfara further agony.”

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE (AANI) ON THE OCCASION OF NIGERIA’S 65TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

As Nigeria marks her 65th Independence Anniversary, the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) heartily felicitates with the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Government, and the good people of our great nation.

This historic milestone offers us not only a moment of celebration but also a solemn opportunity for sober reflection. Our journey as a nation has been defined by resilience, diversity, and the unyielding spirit of our people. Yet, it also reminds us of the pressing challenges we must collectively confront—especially the task of securing our land, strengthening our unity, and fulfilling the promise of prosperity for every Nigerian.

AANI commends the gallant efforts of our military, security agencies, and other law enforcement bodies who continue to make immense sacrifices in countering insurgency, banditry, terrorism, and other security challenges across the country. Their courage and commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty and protecting our citizens are deeply appreciated. We, however, urge them to intensify their efforts, adopt innovative approaches, and sustain the momentum until peace and stability are restored in every part of Nigeria.

In the same vein, AANI enjoins the leadership of local governments, state governments, and the federal government to prioritise the safety and security of all citizens and residents. Security is the foundation upon which unity, development, and prosperity rest, and every tier of government must work in synergy with communities, civil society, and security agencies to guarantee it.

AANI believes strongly that national security cannot be the responsibility of the government alone. It requires the collaborative effort of all citizens, institutions, and stakeholders. The task of building a safe, united, and prosperous Nigeria demands that every Nigerian take ownership of the nation’s progress, embrace dialogue over division, and work hand in hand to overcome insecurity and other developmental challenges.

At 65, our unity remains our greatest strength. AANI therefore calls on all Nigerians to rise above ethnic, religious, and political differences, and to embrace the values of patriotism, integrity, and service to the common good. In unity and collective resolve, we can defeat the forces that threaten our peace and chart a future worthy of our founding fathers’ dreams.

On behalf of the members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute, I congratulate our dear country and its people on this remarkable anniversary. May Almighty God continue to guide Nigeria’s leaders, protect our nation, and bless us all with enduring peace and progress.

AMBASSADOR EMMANUEL OBI OKAFOR, mni
President, Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI)
Abuja
30 September 2025