Today, Nigeria marks 65 years since independence. Ordinarily, such a milestone should call for national celebration, reflection, and renewed hope. But under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there is little if anything to justify fanfare. For many Nigerians, October 1st feels less like a day of pride and more like a reminder of lost opportunities and worsening hardship.
One of President Tinubu’s earliest actions was the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, a move he proudly declared on inauguration day. While policy reform was inevitable, the manner in which it was carried out plunged millions into instant suffering. The price of petrol jumped from ₦185 to over ₦650 per litre within months, causing ripple effects across transportation, food, and essential goods.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, and inflation has now crossed 33% (2025 figures) the highest in two decades. For ordinary citizens, every trip to the market or filling station is a painful reminder that governance has failed them.
Tinubu’s administration also introduced a “floating exchange rate” policy meant to stabilize the naira. Instead, the currency has collapsed. The naira, once trading at ₦460/$1 in early 2023, now sells for over ₦1,600/$1 (2025). This depreciation has eroded savings, destroyed small businesses, and made imports including critical drugs and equipment almost impossible to afford.
Despite campaign promises, job creation remains a mirage. Youth unemployment and underemployment rates remain among the highest in Africa. Professionals, doctors, and skilled workers continue to flee the country in record numbers, worsening the “Japa” syndrome. Instead of harnessing the nation’s youthful population, the government is watching helplessly as Nigeria exports its brightest minds.
At 65, Nigerians are not safer. Banditry, kidnappings, and terrorism remain widespread. In September alone, dozens were killed in Kwara, Zamfara, and Benue states by armed gangs. Despite huge budgetary allocations for defense, ordinary citizens still live in fear. The promise of securing lives and property is far from reality.
Tinubu came into office branding himself as a reformer. Instead, his government has leaned heavily on propaganda, photo-ops, and empty rhetoric while Nigerians groan under untold hardship. Rather than transparency, citizens are met with official denials and inflated success stories that do not reflect daily reality.
Why We Should Not Celebrate
Nigeria at 65 should have been a story of resilience, growth, and hope. Instead, the Tinubu administration has deepened suffering, widened inequality, and eroded faith in government. Celebrating independence in the middle of hunger, insecurity, and a collapsing economy is an insult to the millions barely surviving.
Until leadership becomes people-centered, until policies are made with empathy, and until governance translates into real improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens, October 1st will remain a day of mourning not celebration.
By: Godwin Offor
