My earliest (but adult) memory of the Nigerian Independence Day celebration dates back to my days at the American University of Nigeria. There, we celebrated as one—irrespective of creed, tribe or tongue—bathed in glitz, glam, and joy. Before then, October 1st was just another public holiday for five-a-side soccer games. At that time, “wetin consine me,” as we used to say in the popular jingo. But the years have changed me. Independence Day celebrations are no longer distant rituals; Independence Day is now a call to responsibility, to birth the Nigeria we can all be proud of.
Age of accountability
At 65, nations—like individuals—are too old for excuses. Retirement age is when excuses end and maturity begins. Nigeria must reckon with its age: too seasoned to still stumble over the basics, too blessed to still fail its people.
Yes, hardship is real, more than ever before: food inflation is crippling families; insecurity rages from Zamfara to Plateau; electricity remains epileptic despite billions of dollars invested; the number of out-of-school children tops the global chat; unemployment pushes graduates into despair; and young Nigerians risk deserts and seas to escape. These are legitimate reasons to lose hope. But hopelessness is not an option. At 65, excuses are embarrassing; urgent action is needed.
Nigeria’s dual story
The Nigerian story is one of painful contrasts:
Abroad, Nigerians excel in medicine, tech, sports, and the arts. When our resilience meets systems that work, brilliance becomes effortless.
At home, citizens grapple with cash scarcity, unreliable fuel supplies, broken promises, and a leadership culture that normalises dysfunction. The Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo once said, “We cannot afford to be mere spectators in our own lives.” Nigerians must not remain spectators in their nation’s destiny. Beyond prayers, we must think, strategise, and act.
Ordinary heroes
Nigeria’s true wealth lies not in oil wells or government palaces, but in ordinary people who hold the nation together:
Farmers who keep planting and harvesting even as insecurity threatens their lives.
Teachers who, with meagre salaries and under broken roofs, still shape tomorrow’s leaders.
Artisans and informal workers—mechanics, traders, drivers, tailors—who make daily life possible.
Innovators in fintech, climate, and healthcare, who build against all odds.
And there are visionaries like Randy Peters, pressing relentlessly for electoral reform. These doers remind us that patriotism is not a theory—it is a sacrifice.
Retiring excuses
At 65, a man lives on his investments. At 65, Nigeria must retire excuses and live on the resilience of its people, the richness of its culture, and the brilliance of its diaspora. We can not blame colonial legacies or global conspiracies. The question is simple: will we finally live on what we already have?
Icons guiding us
Chinua Achebe once warned, “A man who makes trouble for others is also making trouble for himself.” Our collective shortcuts and excuses are the trouble we keep bequeathing to the young.
Ama Ata Aidoo reminded us that Africa’s freedom is incomplete without women’s freedom. At 65, Nigeria’s maturity must reflect dignity for all, including women and girls.
Kwame Nkrumah’s words still ring true: “We face neither East nor West. We face forward.” Nigeria must finally face forward—with courage, not excuses.
Forward vision: Africa in context
Nigeria does not exist in isolation. Africa is the youngest continent, and Nigeria is its beating heart. What Nigeria does—or fails to do—ripples across the continent. If Nigeria rises, Africa rises. If Nigeria falters, Africa bleeds. The battle for Nigeria’s soul is not just national; it is continental. Africa is the future, and Nigeria must lead with clarity, courage, and conviction.
Call to dignity, doing
Nigeria at 65 must be a turning point:
Parents, aunties, uncles—remember, children watch what you do more than what you say.
Citizens—demand accountability, mentor the young, and treat one another with dignity.
Leaders—stop trading excuses. Invest in people, not propaganda.
Suppose we can respect embassies with our punctuality, honour hospitals with our presence, and fill religious gatherings on time. In that case, we can also respect one another enough to build orderly roads, demand transparent budgets, and hold leaders accountable.
Retire excuses, reclaim the future
Nigeria is too old to be this careless. Too gifted to be this wasteful. Too promising to be this stagnant. Nigeria cannot be rebuilt on excuses. It must be rebuilt on courage, competence, and compassion. If we can shine abroad, we can thrive at home. If we can pray with faith, we can also act with purpose.
The day we stop celebrating optics and start demanding outcomes will be the day Nigeria grows up. The future is already watching—in the eyes of our children. They deserve a Nigeria where dignity is normal, where leaders are accountable, and where citizenship is an honour, not a burden.
At 65, excuses must retire. Action must begin. For the sake of our children, for the honour of our heroes past, and for the soul of Africa’s future—Nigeria must finally grow up.
The time is now.
Ukoh wrote from New York.