Today, October 1, 2025, Nigeria marks its 65th independence anniversary. As the nation reflects on its journey so far, it is clear that the path to nationhood has been arduous, beset by significant challenges almost from inception. The very pre-independence agitations were an early indicator of the inherent political and ethnic fault lines that would complicate Nigeria’s transition to a sovereign nation.
The march to statehood, commencing on what many regard as a shaky and faulty foundation, saw the nation’s early political leaders, often referred to as the Founding Fathers (including Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo), ill-prepared for the immense task of genuine nation-building. Their failure to effectively galvanise the vast human and material resources available for the country’s collective growth was tragic.
The dream of a peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria quickly vanished as the First Republic collapsed soon after take-off. To be sure, instead of fostering nationalistic and integrative goals, these leaders retreated into being ethnic and regional champions. This intensified an unhealthy rivalry among the regions, particularly between the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) dominant in the North, Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in the East and Awolowo’s Action Group (AG) in the West.
The intense struggle for political dominance at the centre and in the regions led to a breakdown of law and order. A prime example was the eruption of civil unrest in the Western Region, fuelled by the rivalry between Awolowo and his deputy, Samuel Akintola. This earned the region the dubious alias, ‘The Wild, Wild West’, characterised by widespread political thuggery, protests and a deepening atmosphere of suspicion. This pervasive civil disobedience, coupled with intra-party conflicts and political instability, ultimately doomed the First Republic led by Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. It was that eventual collapse that opened the floodgates for the nation’s first military coup and the subsequent destructive cycle of counter-coups, plunging the nation into prolonged military rule, preceded by the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).
Initially, the return to civilian rule in 1979 with the Second Republic offered a new ray of hope. New political parties emerged, including the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), among others. However, these parties were quickly infected by the same maladies that destroyed the First Republic, carrying the “hangover” of regionalism and ideological differences into the political landscape.
The 1979 general elections were mired in controversy and allegations of massive rigging, largely in favour of the NPN, paving the way for Alhaji Shehu Shagari to become Nigeria’s second elected President. The NPN-led government struggled to unite the country and was severely criticised for poor economic management and a lack of vision for critical sectoral reforms. Within just three years, the administration faced a crippling economic crisis. Inflation soared, triggering massive unemployment and essential commodities, including food and basic healthcare amenities, disappeared from markets, leading to shortages and a high cost of living.
The government’s excesses were glaring: massive corruption became normalised, enriching political officeholders at the expense of the majority of Nigerians. This period saw widespread infrastructural decay and deep-seated public discontent, which inexorably led to yet another military coup on December 31, 1983, thus truncating the Second Republic.
The military’s grip on power lasted until 1999, a year that saw the final handover to yet another democratically elected government led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a retired General. His administration laid the foundation for the current Fourth Republic, which has since seen transitions to presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Sixty-five years since independence, and despite its vast human and material resources, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, with an estimated population of over 230 million and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of around $477 billion in 2024, has failed to achieve its rightful position among her contemporaries. Today, the situation for the Nigerian masses remains dire, arguably worse than at the dawn of independence. The populace feels deprived of their fundamental right to growth and development by a persistent cycle of self-serving leaders and their collaborators.
The state of the nation is one of profound hopelessness. The country is grappling with a monumental institutional decay and social ills. Concrete data underscores this crisis: an estimated 133 million Nigerians (over 60% of the population), are living in multidimensional poverty, lacking access to adequate education, health and living standards. The national unemployment rate has remained stubbornly high, with youth unemployment being at an all time high. The country faces a relentless onslaught of violent crimes, including terrorism in the North East, banditry, mass kidnapping and attacks by well-armed Fulani herdsmen rampant across the North West and North Central and widespread violent crimes in other regions, which has crippled economic activities, especially agriculture. Nigeria consistently ranks poorly on global corruption indices, indicating that public funds meant for development are still being siphoned off at an alarming rate by elected officials and civil servants.
This environment is exacerbated by a new crop of leaders who frequently polarise the nation along narrow political, religious and ethnic cleavages, leading to the daily disintegration of social cohesion. Apparently, the system is broken, with evidence of institutional collapse while elected leaders continue to feed fat from the national till at the expense of the impoverished taxpayer.
As Nigeria turns 65, the luxury of remaining backward and a “laughing stock” before its contemporaries that have made quantum leaps in development is a national tragedy that can no longer be tolerated. The nation does not need more time or more options. What it needs is an urgent change in leadership philosophy. What is required is a leadership with integrity, candour and selflessness. A leadership that is not continually distracted by the spoils of office but driven by a commitment to service and accountability. This must be accompanied by a commitment to build strong, independent institutions that can, in turn, galvanise genuine patriotism and a collective love for the country.
On their own part, Nigerians must wake up from their slumber and actively demand a government that will reclaim Nigeria from the forces of decay and division. Citizens’ docility in the face of the ruling elite’s glaring failures has contributed substantially to this desperate state of affairs. Therefore, the path forward requires a renewed, unifying vision anchored on justice, equity and good governance. But, above all, the masses must vigorously demand accountability from elected leaders and other public office holders across board.