Despite its growing population and abundant resources, Nigeria, sixty-five years after independence, still stands at a crossroad.

On 1 October 1960, Nigeria was granted full independence from Great Britain. The country received its Freedom Charter from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen’s representative at the Nigerian independence ceremonies.

Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, announced the country’s independence in his speech read at what was then known as the ‘Race Course,’ alongside Princess Alexandra and Sir James Robertson on October 1, 1960.

The country stepped into the light of independence, bursting with the promise of oil wealth, unity, and prosperity. However, 65 years later, it still drives through the challenges of poverty, corruption, insecurity, and infrastructure deficits demanding attention.

In this report, Gift Oba captures the voices of everyday Nigerians, sharing their candid reflections on the country’s progress, fears, and hopes for a brighter future.

Speaking from the streets of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, a fabric merchant, Kehinde Peters, said that instead of celebrating, the nation should consider the sacrifices made by past heroes to ensure that their efforts were not in vain.

Peters urged leaders of the country to set their priorities right and advocated for true democracy in order to save Nigerians from the immense suffering they are currently going through.

She said, “My question is, what exactly are we celebrating? Are we celebrating the corruption? Are we celebrating the insecurity? Are we celebrating the pain of the masses, or are we celebrating the success of selected few politicians? If we were to talk about growth, yes, growth is actually a process, but can we actually say 65 years later we are bold and we are proud of who we have become?” she asked.

“I don’t think we can answer that question honestly. So my opinion is we should just reflect, reflect on the labour of our heroes past, just like our former national anthem.

The government should set their priorities right, not just on paper now, but they should get on the street. If we say we are practicing democracy, then they should get on the street and know what exactly works for the masses.”

She maintained that the government does not lack policies or agendas but lacks proper implementation.

Also, Kayode Abiodun, a comedian and social media influencer, stated that the country, although being 65, still has its citizens laboring and groaning over the effect of economic hardship.

He opined that despite this, the country must celebrate its growth even if it’s not where it ought to be, urging the Tinubu-led administration to fasten its processes in easing the burden of the masses.

“We are still looking up to the president to do more because, I must tell you, at this point of celebrating 65 years, we’re still laboring, everyone is still groaning, we feel the pain of past success we ought to have achieved by now.

“Although when we give birth to a baby, that is not when the baby walks. It takes a process, and we believe in the processes of the government, so we urge the president to see the need to fasten the process so at least we can laugh at the end.”

Similarly, a nightlife entrepreneur identified as Evans Osagede argued that Nigerians were yet to see the effects of democracy, urging all levels of government to prioritize the needs of the people.

“Well, though we have not really seen the impact of democracy in this country, glory be to God we are still growing, and I believe and hope that tomorrow Nigeria will be better. So we are all trying our possible best and do our own part for Nigeria to be a great nation.

“One thing that I will ask the government to do for us is to at least prioritize us, the masses, we actually matter. They should make sure that they do their possible best to make sure business owners are doing well and growing.”

He lamented that, unlike in the past, Nigerians are no longer excited about celebrating the independence anniversary and expressed optimism that things will get better, exhorting all to contribute to the country’s advancement.

“We would keep celebrating the country; it’s something we can’t stay away from whether it’s worth it or not. But unlike in the past when we used to get excited about it, now even if October 1st comes, nobody will be so crazy about it like we used to in the past.”

However, Akinpelu Akintayo, Executive Director of a non-governmental organization, The Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), while conceding that the health sector has witnessed substantial benefits since the minister restructured health funding, insisted that further work was required.

He outlined that the health sector was still unable to provide enough care and was losing its workers, urging the nation’s leaders to take this as an opportunity to reflect on how well it has performed.

His words: “It’s a time of reflection, so the question Nigerians should ask is, how can we plan 65 years and what can we do better? I must say that for the health sector, there’s been a lot of improvement in the way we do things, and I know that earlier this year the minister of health restructured health finances in a way that is more coordinated. However, there are still a lot of things to be done.

“We still have situations where our health system is unable to deliver appropriately, we see a lot of citations by health workers, and it is not the best for us. Our government should be deliberate about ensuring that they retain the health workers in one way or the other, ensuring that our health system is also well built. A lot has been done to primary health care, but more should be done at the secondary and tertiary level in a way we can aid demands of Nigerians.”

Speaking on policy creation, he emphasized that developing policies is crucial, but leaders must also prioritize effective implementation and follow-up actions to ensure their success.