It was a week of commemoration, a week of recollections, and a week of sober reflections. Nigeria turned 65 on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, and as expected, the season brought with it the predictable cacophony of voices – the idealists who speak of what could have been, the cynics who amplify only the failings, and the hopeful who insist that in the balance of our national journey, progress has not eluded us. In this chorus of perspectives, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu chose, in his Independence Day broadcast, to reframe the narrative, not in denial of the challenges, but in recognition that Nigeria’s story has been one of both adversity and advancement.
From his residence in Lagos, where he has been since returning from the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Olawolu Ladoja, the President’s words were as much a call to perspective as they were a commitment to perseverance. He insisted that Nigeria has neither failed nor stagnated, but has, like all nations, travelled a road marked by gains and losses, victories and setbacks. And significantly, he affirmed: ‘The worst is over.’
The President’s Independence broadcast was not an exercise in romanticising history, nor was it a blind indulgence in pessimism. Rather, it was an attempt to broaden the lens of national memory. He asked Nigerians to view the last 65 years not only through the prism of disappointment, but also through the prism of achievement.
Using data as anchor, Tinubu recalled that at independence in 1960, Nigeria had just 120 secondary schools. Today, that number has grown to more than 23,000. From a single university at Ibadan and a technical college in Yaba, Nigeria now counts 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education. Life expectancy, healthcare access, physical infrastructure, financial services, telecommunications, aviation, and IT have all expanded exponentially.
Of course, he did not ignore the dark chapters-the civil war, decades of military rule, insurgencies, and recurring economic distortions. But the point was clear: Nigeria’s 65-year history is not a tale of collapse, but of survival and renewal. ‘Yesterday’s pains,’ the President said, ‘are giving way to relief.’
That line struck at the heart of his larger message: the tough reforms of the last two years-removing the fuel subsidy, ending multiple exchange rates, stabilising the naira, expanding tax collection, boosting oil production, and diversifying exports-are beginning to yield results.
Yet, the Independence broadcast was not an isolated performance. Two days earlier, in Owerri, Imo State, the President had delivered what sounded like a prelude. There, while unveiling a book authored by Governor Hope Uzodinma and commissioning projects, Tinubu addressed a brewing storm-an attempt at international misinformation.
American television host Bill Maher had claimed that Nigeria was a theatre of ‘systemic genocide against Christians.’ The President was unequivocal in his rebuttal: there is no such genocide, and Nigeria would not permit a foreign narrative designed to manufacture chaos as a prelude to resource exploitation.
By taking the battle to the open, Tinubu demonstrated that he is not merely reacting to domestic concerns but is alert to international propaganda. His Owerri speech was a message to Nigerians and to the world: nothing escapes the attention of Nigeria’s leadership, and under his watch, the country would not be mischaracterised to suit external interests.
That clarity of response aligned with the earlier statement issued by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, but by owning the rebuttal himself, Tinubu asserted authority. He showed he is fully in charge, not just of policies, but also of Nigeria’s narrative.
If the Owerri outing was about defending Nigeria’s integrity, his Monday meeting in Lagos was about rallying resources for Nigeria’s future. Tinubu sat down with Bayo Ogunlesi of Global Infrastructure Partners and BlackRock, and Hakeem Belo-Osagie of Metis Capital-two of Nigeria’s most prominent global investment figures.
The symbolism was rich. Just as the Japanese Meiji Restoration of the 19th century mobilised all national forces-farmers, merchants, samurai, and the diaspora-to rebuild Japan into a modern power, Tinubu is reaching out to Nigerians everywhere. He is enlisting the financial warriors of the diaspora to channel their expertise and capital into critical infrastructure, energy independence, and sustainable financing.
‘Nigeria remains ready to partner with credible global investors, especially sons of the soil and Nigerians in the diaspora,’ the President said after the meetings. The message was unmistakable: rebuilding Nigeria is not the work of government alone, but of all her children.
In that sense, Tinubu is attempting a national mobilisation unprecedented in Nigeria’s history. By summoning Ogunlesi and Belo-Osagie, he reminded the world that Nigeria’s brightest minds abroad are not detached spectators, but potential builders of the homeland. It is a Samurai move-recalling every sword, every shield, every strategist-for a collective rebirth.
The week’s symbolism reached a crescendo on Wednesday evening in Lagos, when Tinubu officially inaugurated the renovated National Arts Theatre, now renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.
If the economic reforms are the bones of his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the diaspora mobilisation its sinews, then this cultural rebirth is the soul. By naming the centre after Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Tinubu underscored that national pride is not only in GDP figures or infrastructure, but also in the creative genius that has carried Nigeria’s name to the world.
‘Uncle Wole Soyinka is one of the most talented and creative minds,’ the President said at the inauguration. ‘It could not have been anyone else.’
The N68 billion renovation, funded by the Bankers’ Committee under CBN Governor, has turned a decaying relic of 1970s architecture into a modern hub for arts, culture, and creativity. Tinubu urged the creation of an endowment fund for its sustainability, insisting that it must not fall back into neglect.
In renaming the theatre after Soyinka, Tinubu also sent a message to Nigerians who indulge in speaking ill of their country: national heritage must be celebrated, not ridiculed. ‘This country will succeed,’ he said. ‘Lift Nigeria, believe in Nigeria. Put Nigeria first.’
Beyond symbolism, Tinubu backed his optimism with data. His broadcast highlighted concrete milestones of his administration’s reforms: record non-oil revenue exceeding N20 trillion in 2025, months ahead of target; debt-service-to-revenue ratio cut below 50% from 97%; external reserves at $42 billion, the highest since 2019; tax-to-GDP ratio raised to 13.5% with relief for low-income earners; five consecutive quarters of trade surplus, with non-oil exports now nearly half of the total; oil production back to 1.68 million barrels per day and domestic PMS refining for the first time in 40 years; stabilisation of the naira, with multiple exchange rates scrapped; N330 billion disbursed to eight million vulnerable households; mining growth surging, with coal rebounding by 57.5%; major rail and road projects advancing; sovereign credit upgrades and a booming stock market; and the Central Bank cutting interest rates after five years, signalling restored confidence.
This catalogue was not a self-congratulatory scorecard but evidence of a turning tide. If 2023-24 were years of bitter medicine, then 2025 is the year Nigerians begin to feel the healing.
The convergence of these events-Owerri’s rebuttal, Lagos investment meetings, the Independence broadcast, and the Soyinka Centre inauguration-reveals a President in full control of his agenda. He is not lurching from crisis to crisis, but following through on a coherent vision: defend Nigeria’s reputation, mobilise national and diaspora resources, reform the economy, and restore national pride through culture.
Critics may argue about pace or pain, but even they cannot deny that Tinubu has steered Nigeria into a new chapter. He is not only rewriting the country’s economic story; he is also reframing its self-perception.
At 65, Nigeria is neither a failed project nor a finished one. It is, in Tinubu’s framing, a nation in progress-tested, tempered, but still moving forward. The worst, he insists, is behind us. The future, he assures, is one of growth, renewal, and pride.
The 65th Independence anniversary was more than a date on the calendar; it was a mirror held up to the nation. In that mirror, President Tinubu invited Nigerians to see not only the scars of their journey, but also the strength. To see not only what is missing, but also what has been gained.
Even beyond the headline events of the Independence anniversary, the outing in Owerri, his engagements with global investors, and the inauguration of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s other activities and messages during the week were not insignificant; they too told parts of the Nigerian story.
On Monday, the President extended warm felicitations to the Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, celebrating him as a consummate administrator and a dedicated public servant. The tribute underscored Tinubu’s continuing emphasis on recognising loyalty and service within his team, particularly as the Defence Ministry remains pivotal in the fight against insecurity.
Tuesday was marked by both solemnity and firmness. The President condemned the killing of Arise News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu in Abuja, directing security agencies to fish out her killers swiftly. The strong tone of his directive reinforced the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on violent crime. On the same day, Tinubu announced new appointments across three key agencies – the National Biosafety Management Agency, the Investment and Security Tribunal, and the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation – signalling his intent to fortify institutions that touch on safety, economic justice, and culture. He also joined in celebrating human rights icon Dr. Tunji Abayomi at 75, extolling his sacrifices during the struggle for democracy.
Midweek, the President saluted Speaker Tajudeen Abbas at 60, describing him as a worthy partner in governance and praising his stabilising influence in the House. In the wake of the Ibaji boat tragedy, Tinubu urged water transport operators to put safety above profit, a reminder that governance must also speak to everyday tragedies and responsibilities.
On Thursday, he commended Kresta Laurel Limited on its 35th anniversary, recognising enterprise discipline as vital to Nigeria’s economic growth. By Friday, his schedule turned personal and spiritual as he traveled to Jos for the funeral of the mother of APC National Chairman, Professor Nantewe Goshwe, with plans to also meet church leaders across the North.
From Lagos to Owerri, from boardrooms with diaspora investors to the cultural halls of Iganmu, Tinubu projected sobriety, strength, and symbolism. Sobriety in recognising the mixed history of the nation. Strength in confronting misinformation and mobilising investors. Symbolism in honouring Soyinka and uplifting Nigeria’s cultural pride.
It was, in every sense, a week of commemoration that pointed not backward, but forward-a week in which the President widened the national gaze from gloom to hope, from survival to revival.
At 65, Nigeria has not arrived, but neither has it collapsed. And in Tinubu’s words and actions, Nigerians were reminded that the journey, though long, is still worth the walk.