My dear country, Nigeria, celebrated her 65th Independence Anniversary some days ago, and it was a mixed feeling for most of her citizens. While some were celebrating how far the country has come, others completely waved off the celebrations because they feel the nation, especially the government, has failed the people and there's no reason to celebrate.
I'm a Nigerian, and I know the weight of both sides, but we must look deeply and see how blessed the nation is and appreciate its continuity in existence.
Independence Day to me is not just about celebrating the freedom of Nigeria from the colonial masters; it's also a day to celebrate the good tidings and wonderful things the country has contributed to the world. Oh boy, Nigeria is blessed to the core, and we can't just see everything because most times our minds are focused on the bad side.
Nigeria currently has the richest man in Africa, and that’s the person of Aliko Dangote, who is also among the top 100 richest people in the world. This may seem like a personal achievement, but it's a name to Nigeria and has contributed to spreading the country’s name into the knowledge of a lot of people across the world. That’s really true because there are people who got to know about Nigeria through him and his influence.
When you talk about music, Nigeria is a leading name not just in Africa but in the world at large when it comes to music. The likes of Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tems, and others are making big waves, and they’re global figures spreading Nigerian culture to the world. This is something that’s worth celebrating every now and then. As it stands, whenever there’s a major global show that needs music, Nigerian artists must be involved.
In sports, it’s on another level entirely. When you talk about sports and athletes making waves, you can’t completely leave out Nigerian athletes. We have Osimhen currently, who is a hot cake and known all over the world of sports—which is, in fact, the whole world entirely. You can’t leave out the women when it comes to sports too. As it stands, the Nigerian national female football team is the most decorated national team in the history of football, with 11 continental titles.
Thanks!
