Nigeria @60: What to Celebrate

By Adamu Sodangi Aliyu

Nigeria is 60 years old today as an independent sovereign nation. Rejoice and celebrate with Nigeria and Nigerians this independence anniversary; as a free, independent, sovereign nation and as free, independent citizens of a free nation. If you’re a Nigerian anywhere in the world it is your day, celebrate the anniversary of your country.

Attainment of Nigeria’s independence is a remarkable feat worth celebrating if not for any, but for this simple reason.

Nigeria is the only country you have in this whole world to refer to as yours. The only place you can rightly claim, where you are free to live as full citizen, with full rights and privileges. Therefore, its liberation from the hands of imperialist is a thing of joy worth celebrating.

Every human must have a home; a country to be proud of, somewhere he could build or he could wish to build for himself and his coming generation. As the prophet rightly said; ‘the love of one’s nation is an act faith,’ whosoever that doesn’t have place to refer to as his country; his home that person is vulnerable to becoming a nuisance and threat to peace and livelihood of the society.

Nigeria has attained self rule sixty years ago from the Europeans only to lose it to some Nigerians the next day as the majority of its citizens have remained landlocked in abject and stagnant poverty despite its numerous abundant economic resources. But as a patriotic citizen you should love your country and have faith in it, nothing should stop you from loving your country, not Boko-haram, banditry and kidnapping.

Since you are not the same as those unpatriotic Nigerians, what’s in your eyes is the country you so much love and cherish a country you’ll like to build, straightened and strengthened.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria.