Nigeria at 65: Leaders and experts say sovereignty alone is not enough — progress demands visionary leadership and active citizen participation.
As Nigeria celebrates 65 years of independence, leaders and experts have cautioned that the country’s freedom will only deliver real progress if urgent reforms in governance, economic planning, and citizen participation are prioritized
Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and current member of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Martin Azubuike, noted that while independence granted Nigeria sovereignty, the real challenge lies in managing its systems responsibly.
“Independence gives us the leverage to take our destiny in our own hands within the ambit of the law. We must superintend over our resources and institutions responsibly,” Azubuike said.
Economic and governance expert, Dr. Hassan Sadiq, observed that successive governments failed to sustain the economic vision of Nigeria’s founding leaders.
“The first generation of leaders built agriculture, refineries, and textile industries to secure economic stability. Successive governments abandoned that path, leaving us with inadequate infrastructure and declining industries,” he said. “It’s like a prince in a palace who never knew he was a prince and became a laborer in a nearby village.”
For AbdulMumini Abiola, son of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the greatest challenge is citizen apathy toward democracy. He argued that independence means little without active participation.
“We’ve had 30 years of uninterrupted democracy, but leaders alone cannot transform Nigeria. In 2023, 93 million Nigerians had voter cards, yet only 23 million voted. Democracy is about inclusion and collective responsibility,” Abiola said.
As Nigeria reflects on 65 years of self-rule, analysts emphasize that independence will only fulfill its true promise when leaders embrace visionary planning and citizens take ownership of governance through active involvement.
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