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As Nigerians mark October 1 Independence Day, many instantly think of the green-white-green flag and parades. But the independence moment produced a number of smaller, often-overlooked objects, places and cultural markers that helped shape how the new nation presented itself and how Nigerians remember 1960.

In this article,Tribune Online highlights seven lesser-known symbols tied to Nigeria’s independence and what they mean today.

1. The original flag sketch that included a red sun

The flag we know was not the first version chosen on paper. Designer Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi’s winning entry originally had a 16-ray red quarter-sun on the white stripe; the independence committee removed the sun before official adoption. Akinkunmi’s simple green-white-green won from thousands of entries.

2. The Nigerian Independence Medal

Instituted for military, police and selected British personnel serving at independence, the circular cupro-nickel independence medal carries the crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on its obverse and the Nigerian coat of arms with the inscription ‘Nigeria Independence, 1st October 1960’ on the reverse. Its ribbon mirrors the national colors.

3. The 1960 ‘Independence Commemoration’ postage stamps

Postage stamps printed for the independence celebrations small collectibles today featured local sites and commemorative designs that circulated nationwide and abroad. They were part of the visual campaign that announced Nigeria’s new identity to the postal world.

4. The Coat of Arms’ hidden floral touch: Costus spectabilis

Nigeria’s coat of arms (formally adopted in 1960) is packed with symbolism: the black shield, the white wavy ‘Y’ for the Niger and Benue rivers, the eagle and horses and at the base, the yellow Costus spectabilis, Nigeria’s national flower, which many people don’t recognize by name.

5. The original national anthem

‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ was the anthem at independence (lyrics by Lillian Jean Williams) before being replaced in 1978. In May 2024 the government moved to readopt the independence anthem – a reminder that symbols chosen in 1960 still spark debate about history and identity.

6. The Race Course the place the Union Jack came down

The Union Jack was lowered and the new Nigerian flag hoisted at the Lagos Race Course in the hours around midnight on October 1, 1960 the physical site of the transfer of symbols and sovereignty. The ground would later be redeveloped and is remembered today as Tafawa Balewa Square.

7. The Constitutional Instruments presented by Princess Alexandra

At the ceremony, a representative of the Crown Princess Alexandra of Kent formally presented the constitutional instruments of independence (the legal parchment and formal transfer documents). Those ceremonial papers were the literal legal symbols of Nigeria’s new status.

Symbols aren’t only decorative. They package values, legitimize power and anchor public memory. Some like the flag or anthem are visible to everyone; others, like the medals, stamps, buildings and even a particular state-ball playlist, quietly shaped how independence felt and was broadcast to Nigerians and the world. Revisiting them sharpens how we tell the story of 1960 beyond the headline moments.

Bello Tukur, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and Vice Chairman of its Nigerian Chapter, has built his career in the commercial shipping industry where he currently works with River Lake Shipping, a firm involved in tanker, dry bulk, and offshore services. In this interview with selected newsmen, he speaks on the role of shipbrokers in global trade, the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s maritime industry. TOLA ADENUBI brings the excerpts.

MANY people may not be familiar with the work of a shipbroker. How would you describe the profession and its relevance?

A shipbroker is essentially an intermediary who connects charterers with ship owners. We facilitate transactions-whether it is the sale and purchase of vessels, arranging chartering for tankers and bulk carriers, or providing offshore support services. Globally, shipbroking is a critical pillar of commercial shipping because it ensures that cargo and vessels meet efficiently in the marketplace.

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers has been around for more than a century. What role has it played in shaping global maritime education?

The Institute has set the standard for commercial shipping education worldwide. For over 100 years, it has provided structured learning for professionals, and its members today are spread across major shipping lines, oil companies, and global commodity houses. For newcomers, the Institute offers a range of subjects that can be tailored to individual interests-whether in chartering, operations, or shipping law. It gives aspiring professionals a solid springboard into a global career in maritime commerce.

Let’s talk about Nigeria. From your perspective, what are the major issues confronting the Nigerian maritime sector today?

The most glaring challenge is infrastructure. Our ports were originally designed for about 50 million metric tonnes of cargo, yet they are handling over 100 million tonnes. That overstretches facilities and slows down cargo clearance. The new deep-sea ports with automated cargo handling are easing some of this pressure, but we still record delays in certain terminals. Security has improved, but insurance premiums remain high, and Nigeria has not yet been removed from the global piracy list. Beyond that, regulatory inconsistencies and overlapping agencies often complicate operations. The high cost of logistics-23% of GDP compared to a global average of 12%-is also a drag on competitiveness. The ICS contributes by developing skilled professionals who can help manage these issues more efficiently and by promoting best practices across the industry.

How can shipbroking support Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement?

Nigeria currently has fewer than 40 qualified shipbrokers, and many unqualified individuals are filling the gap. This limits our ability to influence and expand intra-African trade. Take liner services, for example-shipping goods to Europe is often cheaper than moving them to a nearby African port, like Abidjan. That happens because of poor scheduling, irregular services, and limited capacity. With proper shipbroking structures, we can pool investments, set up coastal shipping services, arrange voyage or time charters, and build regional trade corridors. If done right, goods will no longer need to pass through Europe or Asia before reaching African destinations.

The government has introduced the Marine and Blue Economy Policy. Do you think it can transform the sector?

It is a commendable policy. It seeks to unlock the potential of our oceans by improving port efficiency, encouraging aquaculture, promoting shipbuilding, and investing in marine renewable energy. The target is to grow the maritime sector’s contribution to GDP from less than 1% to over 6% by 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, the policy leaves out port and coastal clusters, which could help regions specialise, create jobs, and fully exploit marine potentials. To succeed, implementation must be backed by strong public-private partnerships. Only then will it move from being a good plan to an excellent outcome.

How do you see shipbroking evolving in Nigeria in the years ahead?

Globally, shipbroking is a billion-dollar business. In Nigeria, it is still developing, but it holds promise as a driver of local participation. Many indigenous operators depend on waivers because they can’t afford specialized vessels. Shipbroking offers an alternative through chartering. While NIMASA’s attempt to involve banks in vessel financing is laudable, many locals still can’t meet the requirements. Shipbroking can bridge these gaps by standardizing agreements, easing access to vessels, and building technical expertise. It is a tool that can significantly boost indigenous presence in tanker, bulk, and offshore markets.

Beyond NIMASA’s policies, what regulatory changes would you like to see?

The key issue is fragmentation. For instance, waivers are not issued by NIMASA but by the Ministry, when there is no local capacity. Instead of making waivers the default option, regulators should insist on chartering first. There is no vessel-whether rigs, offshore craft, or cargo ships-that cannot be accessed through time or voyage chartering. Making chartering compulsory before granting waivers will encourage local operators to build capacity sustainably.

What are your thoughts on how the government can grow maritime revenue?

The government must commit to full implementation of the Marine and Blue Economy Policy. This includes stronger regulation, proper monitoring of both public and private players, and a clear focus on capacity building. If this is done, Nigeria’s maritime sector could increase its GDP contribution to between 7-10% by 2030. That growth will translate into new jobs, industrial expansion, and greater export capacity.

What opportunities does the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers provide for capacity building in Nigeria?

We run three main programmes: Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE): Covering Diploma and Advanced Diploma stages. The other one is Dissertation Route, which is a two-year programme for seasoned professionals who want to become full members. Then there is Certificate and Short Courses: Such as ‘Understanding Shipping,’ CPD programmes, and customized training for companies. We also admit students as members, giving them access to international-standard exams and resources that prepare them for careers in commercial shipping.

How does ICS link Nigerian shipbrokers to global best practices?

Our headquarters in London connects us to the global hub of shipping. We collaborate with BIMCO, the IMO, the Baltic Exchange, and the World Maritime University. Our training modules are aligned with international trade standards. We are also working to deepen partnerships with Nigerian universities-over 20 of them already run maritime programmes. Through exchange programmes and hands-on training, we hope to expose students to the realities of the global maritime marketplace.

The Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund has been a subject of debate. Why has it been so difficult to disburse, and what is your advice to the government?

The truth is that, unless shipping development becomes a true priority, the CVFF will never achieve its purpose. A framework has now been developed to guide disbursement, but the challenge lies in ensuring transparency and proper targeting. The fund must be released to operators with proven expertise, entrepreneurial ability, and genuine involvement in shipping-not just politically-connected individuals. Only then can it serve its purpose of building indigenous fleet capacity and contributing to the growth of the blue economy.

Stakeholders have observed that Nigeria’s education sector has shown gradual improvements in literacy and enrollment rates over the last 65 years, but still faces significant challenges.

Some of these challenges as listed by stakeholders include inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, teachers’ shortages and quality, high number of out-of-school children and low completion rates and limited access to quality learning materials.

An educationist, Professor Linus Amuta, said that though Nigeria has recorded modest achievements in terms of creation more institutions as stated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his 65th Independence Anniversary broadcast to the nation, the major challenges remain inadequate funding and decline in the quality of the products from the system.

According to him, the fact that Nigeria on an annual basis allocates around seven per cent of its budget to the education sector means that this is far below the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended 20 per cent.

He noted that the education sector has a yearly funding shortfall of approximately $1 billion, while about 60 percent of school infrastructures are in disrepair, affecting learning quality.

Amuta further revealed that there is an estimated deficit of over 20,000 classrooms nationwide, adding that only 10 percent of Nigerian teachers are considered highly trained.

‘Around 60 per cent of teachers lack adequate training, and there›s a teacher-student ratio of 1:40 in primary schools. The primary school completion rate is around 85 per cent, but the dropout rates increase significantly after primary school education, with over 40 per cent, not proceeding to secondary education,» he stated.

President Tinubu in his broadcast on Wednesday noted that Nigeria had made significant progress and that today Nigerians have access to better education and healthcare than in 1960.

He recalled that at Independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools with a student population of about 130,000.

‘Available data indicates that, as of 2024, there were more than 23,000 secondary schools in our country. At Independence, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology as the two tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

‘By the end of last year, there were 274 universities, 183 Polytechnics, and 236 Colleges of Education in Nigeria, comprising Federal, State, and private institutions. We have experienced a significant surge in growth across every sector of our national life since Independence – in healthcare, infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, aviation and defence, among others,’ Tinubu stated.

Professor Amuta, however, insisted that to address the myriad of challenges in the education sector, Nigeria needs to prioritise education funding, improve teacher training and infrastructure, and increase access to quality learning materials.

He added that the government at all levels should also focus on reducing dropout rates and improving completion rates, especially at secondary education level.

Also, speaking, the National President, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr Smart Olugbeko, expressed mixed feelings regarding the education sector, especially teacher›s education in the last 65 years of Nigeria’s political independence.

According to him, though, the country’s education sector is sickly, it isn’t a write-off.

He said the poor state Nigeria is in today is as a result of its level of education, as education defines development of any economy.

‘So, whichever way we look at the matter, Nigeria has not been able to make much impact. This is known to everyone, including the government officials that education is the bedrock of development.

‘However, in Nigeria, it is just a lip service that is being paid to the sector because a country that takes education seriously would definitely not treat teachers the way the Nigerian government is treating them.

‘Until we take this aspect seriously, we will continue to grope in the dark because the teacher›s role is crucial in a nation’s development.

‘Thus, governments at all levels need to give adequate priority to education and also treat teachers very well. Teachers deserve good salaries, welfare and condition of service.

‘Governments also need to address infrastructure deficits in schools across all levels and create an enabling environment for the non-state actors to thrive too.’

Olugbeko, however, pointed out that some of the steps taken by the current government in the sector, particularly the technical education will change the narrative, if well implemented.

Also speaking, the National President of League of Muslims School Proprietors (LEAMSP), Mr Abdulwahid Obalakun, said it was the failure of the government from the mid 80s that the private school operators took advantage of to take the centre stage of the country’s education sector.

According to him, all was good at independence and got better by the day up to the mid 80s when the successive government began to give lip service to the education sector and that action really affected government schools.

‘However, appears that the current government wants to change the narrative by putting the sector in the right direction with some of its policies and programmes, but they must be well-implemented,’ he stressed.

Obalakun, however, urged the government not only to create an enabling environment for private school owners to thrive but also to intensify its support to them.

He said the education sector now deserves to have a specialised bank just as there is the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture, where school owners can access free or one-digit interest loans for their operations.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, however, acknowledged the unwavering leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda has made education one of the cornerstones of national development.

He noted that under President Tinubu’s guidance, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented budgetary allocation to the education sector, the highest in the history of the country.

‘This historic investment has enabled us to upgrade infrastructure across schools and tertiary institutions, expand access to teacher professional development, and launch groundbreaking reforms such as the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI),’ he said.

He said the President has insisted that ‘no Nigerian child should be left behind because of poverty or geography’ and that this has been the driving force behind every programme launched by the Ministry of Education.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Engr. Mahmoud Ben Tukur on his re-election to Part II of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, underscoring Nigeria’s growing influence in global aviation governance.

Ben Tukur, a highly respected aviation professional and former General Manager of Airworthiness Standards at the NCAA, secured his seat during elections held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the ongoing 42nd ICAO Assembly in Montreal, Canada. His re-election marks another three-year term for Nigeria on the prestigious 36-member ICAO Council, alongside leading aviation nations such as Egypt, South Africa, India, Spain, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland.

Speaking on the achievement, the NCAA highlighted Engr. Ben Tukur’s track record in advancing air safety, regulatory standards, and operational excellence. His leadership is expected to continue shaping key ICAO policies, promoting international collaboration, and ensuring that Nigeria remains a central voice in global aviation decision-making.

This accomplishment reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing civil aviation standards, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and participating actively in international dialogues that define the future of air transport. Engr. Ben Tukur’s re-election is seen as a strategic win, reflecting both his personal expertise and Nigeria’s credibility within the global aviation community.

The NCAA affirmed its unwavering support for Engr. Ben Tukur as he embarks on this renewed mandate, confident that his contributions will further elevate Nigeria’s profile in the global aviation sector and strengthen partnerships with ICAO member states.

Mahmoud Ben Tukur has been re-elected to the ICAO Council, ensuring Nigeria’s continued influence in global aviation. NCAA congratulates him on this milestone.

Residents of Lagos and Ogun communities on Wednesday, experienced scarcity of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, popularly known as cooking gas.

Most vendors that opened shops in some neighbourhoods jacked up the price by selling at N1,600 per kilogram instead of N1,150 per kg sold last week.

Lamenting the situation, Mrs Joke Banjo, a trader at Agege, said she was searching everywhere to refill her 12kg cylinder, but could not find any until she got to Ojodu.

According to her, most of the gas stations refused to open shops, assuming that it might be connected to the industrial action ordered by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

She said that the outlet she later discovered around Ojodu sold for most customers at N1,600 per kilogram.

Another woman, Mrs Adejoke Ibikunle, said there was a long quene for cooking gas in one of the gas stations in Ibafo despite the fact that it was sold for N1,500.

She said she managed to refill her 6kg cylinder before the station stopped selling due to long queue.

She expressed displeasure over the issue, wondering what would have happened to the supply of cooking gas.

Meanwhile, energy industry analyst, Yemisi Olagunju, has also raised the alarm that Nigeria may be on the verge of a domestic LPG supply crunch.

However, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM), Mr Oladapo Olatunbosun, has expressed concern over the continued export of cooking gas from Nigeria despite the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) pronouncing a ban on the practice, particularly by International Oil Companies (IOCs).

Speaking during the 2025 National LPG Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, Olatunbosun insisted that the minister’s directive must be enforced to stop the outflow of LPG from Nigeria.

‘The domestic market does not have sufficient volumes of gas, so there is no justification for exporting the product out of the country by the IOCs,’ the NALPGAM president said

He said IOCs have consistently argued that they lack the facilities to separate propane from butane, a requirement for making the product more suitable for domestic use.

According to him, these companies had previously requested a timeframe to put such facilities in place, yet there has been no enforcement or monitoring by government agencies to ensure compliance.

‘Companies prefer to export these products abroad to make more money,’ he said, stressing that the practice undermines Nigeria’s domestic LPG market, which still struggles with insufficient supply.

Olatunbosun, therefore, urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Minister of State for Gas to compel the IOCs to establish the required infrastructure for propane-butane separation.

THE boundary between superstition and criminality is thin. That explains the case in Bauchi State where recently, a housewife, Zuwaira Ibrahim, was alleged to have inflicted severe burns on her seven-year-old sister-in-law over allegations of witchcraft. The victim was inflicted with severe burns around the lower part of her body, particularly her private parts. Media reports said the helpless girl was brutally burnt by her brother’s wife. After the housewife had successfully caught ‘the witch’, the victim of this criminality, and subjected her to extreme cruelty, life became a nightmare for the girl. Medical personnel handling the case at the emergency ward of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) have been battling to save her life. She is said to be currently writhing in pain. The scary but unfortunate incident occurred in Magama-Gumau in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

In her warped thinking, Zuwaira Ibrahim investigated and convicted the victim of witchcraft, then embarked on the process of extracting confession which led to the severe burns. According to a resident of the area, Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, ‘Zuwaira’s child told her that she saw the victim amongst a group of witches and was taken to a man to confirm whether she really belongs to a witchcraft group. The man told them that she was not a witch but Zuwaira disagreed with the confirmation. They returned home and she then used a hot knife removed from the fire to burn her private parts, believing that if she is a real witch she won’t feel pain. However, it was the girl’s loud cries that attracted neighbours and when we got there, we saw the situation and insisted that the case be reported to police immediately.’ Pictures and videos of the little girl’s badly burnt body are scary to look at. Medical personnel at ATBUTH indicated that the wounds might have been infected.

This case is yet another one in a long list of crimes committed by persons who are too engrossed in the metaphysical to bother with the precepts of modernity. The Bauchi incident is a vivid case of trial by ordeal, a crime punishable under the law. The incident is bestial and should ideally never be replicated in any human society. What makes the case more ludicrous is that it is almost impossible for Zuwaira Ibrahim to demonstrate that the young girl is a witch. The question is, what method of verification did she use? How empirical was it? Even if she could prove this obviously unverifiable claim, who appointed her as the trial judge in this matter?

When people are at a loss on the particular provinces of the physical and the supernatural, it is this manner of contradiction that comes to play. Zuwaira Ibrahim is apparently unable to delineate the boundaries of the two very consequential provinces. Because she appointed herself unto a task that modernity does not give her, she necessarily has to face the music. No one is allowed to take the law into their own hands and punish people they unilaterally consider evil or wicked. If any society allows this level of absurdity, that society is on the verge of collapse.

We plead that the medics attending to the young girl should do everything in their power to ensure that she recovers from her grievous ordeal. Her future must, as it were, be retrieved from Zuwaira Ibrahim’s flaming fire. Also, the witch-catcher should be made to face the full wrath of the law so as to serve as a deterrent to other lawless persons who might want to appoint themselves as accusers, trial judge and officers of the penitentiary in similar cases. Come to think of it, how is such grievous punishment inflicted on the young girl the cure for witchcraft? What is witchcraft and how does a witch get verified as one? How does anyone convincingly link witches with cases of evil deeds? These questions may never be clearly answered. The entire scenario points to acute ignorance and gross criminality. The suspect caged herself in the prison walls she built for her mind, and must be held accountable for her crime. Justice must be done and be seen to be done in this case.

We suggest that in communities where there is still a nostalgic connect to stone age thinking like Zuwaira Ibrahim’s, the government, especially local governments, must make serious attempts de-radicalise people’s minds from such crippling thoughts. This will go a long way in purging such people of their warped mindset and free society from the violent grip of people who lend their minds to the devil in committing such heinous crimes. Modern society cannot afford to harbour such persons.

As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence Anniversary, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Temitope Adedeji, has praised Nigerians for their resilience and urged them to sustain their trust in the government of President Bola Tinubu to continue meeting the yearnings of the people.

In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday to commemorate the anniversary, Adewale, who represents Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency I, said Nigeria was entering its 66th year in a better position than in most of the years since Independence.

According to him, the Federal Government has successfully placed the country on the right footing, and citizens would soon begin to see the results of the reforms introduced in the economy.

‘The President has further rekindled our spirits with the Independence Day address, in which he reeled out the achievements of his administration in just two years and a few months. Globally respected economic analysts and experts have confirmed that we are moving in the right direction. We have left the most challenging phase of economic growth. We are seeing steady improvements in the GDP while inflation continues to drop. These are clear signals that our country is on the right path,’ Adewale said.

While urging Nigerians to continue supporting the Federal Government, he also called on state governors to prioritise people-oriented programmes and policies, alongside improvements in infrastructure.

‘This is one of the best ways they can justify the allocations to the states, which have increased tremendously under President Tinubu’s administration,’ he added.