By Obinna Okeke
Sixty-five years after the green and white flag first rose against the Lagos skyline, Nigeria remains a paradox that inspires awe and frustration in equal measure. A nation with a turbulent history, wracked by corruption, insecurity, and a punishing economic environment, yet home to a people who embody one of the most indomitable spirits on the planet. Truly, Nigeria is like the proverbial elephant being described by several blind men. Once you are forged in the furnace called Nigeria, your survival everywhere else is a stroll in the park.
It is this die-hard spirit that has turned Nigerians into world-beaters. From the tracks of Atlanta ’96 to the lecture halls of Ivy League universities, from Afrobeat concerts that electrify global audiences to Nollywood films that captivate millions, Nigerians are exporting brilliance with unapologetic confidence. In business, they have built empires from scratch, sometimes in spite of hostile conditions at home. In science and technology, they are contributing to global breakthroughs. And in art, literature, and music, they are shaping culture far beyond the continent’s borders.
Nigeria itself is no easy land to thrive in. It tests its citizens with unreliable infrastructure, an economy weighed down by mismanagement, and leaders who too often betray public trust. Yet, Nigerians continue to rise, adapt, and innovate. To live in Nigeria is to wrestle with adversity daily, but also to cultivate a hope so stubborn it borders on defiance. This resilience explains why, not long ago, Nigeria was ranked the “Happiest People on Earth.” It is the same resilience that sustains the nation’s title as the “Giant of Africa.”
Blessed with natural resources and mineral wealth, Nigeria is a land that should be a paradise. But what truly powers its future is not the oil in the Niger Delta nor the tin in Jos Plateau—it is the irrepressible energy of its people. Nigerians are incorrigible optimists, dreamers who refuse to be defined by their struggles. At 65, the story of Nigeria is still being written, powered by the unshakable conviction that greatness is not just a possibility—it is destiny. A popular Nigerian adage says, “If you don’t blow your horn by your self, who will”? Every country and society have their own version of “The good, the bad and the ugly”. We have decided to focus on our good and market it to the world. Nigeria has survived colonialism, a civil war, years of military misrule, constant power outages, religious extremists, corrupt leaders and followers, but we refused to sink. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and same goes for our beloved Nigeria. Naija no deycarry last. Whatever negativity life throws at us, we gather up and turn into a mountain, which we in turn climb to greatness. We are like the viable seed that learns to thrive and grow where ever life plants it. Know this and know peace. Happy 65th Anniversary to our motherland. A toast to another 100 years as the “Wakanda of Africa”.
Obinna Okeke is a seasoned Marketing and Media Communications expert. He is an award winning Copywriter and the MD of Wow Communications Ltd. Also a passionate and patriotic Nigerian.
