At sixty-five years, Nigeria should be standing tall as a nation of wisdom, strength, and global leadership. In the life of an individual, sixty-five is not only the age of maturity but also of reflection and fulfillment. It is the point where youthful mistakes are expected to give way to stability, wisdom, and a purposeful legacy. Yet, Nigeria at 65 is a story of promise and paradox: a giant endowed with vast resources and human potential, yet still entangled in struggles of identity, unity, and direction.
Nigeria’s path since independence in 1960 has been anything but smooth. In the first six years of independence, optimism soared. Nigerians believed the country was on the road to greatness, driven by hope, leadership figures with vision, and a rapidly expanding economy. But the civil war of 1967–1970 shattered the dream of national unity and left scars that are still visible today. In the decades that followed, Nigeria alternated between military and civilian rule, swinging between authoritarianism and fragile democracy. The discovery of oil brought immense wealth but also entrenched corruption, distorted our economy, and weakened agriculture and industry. Periods of hope, such as the return to civilian rule in 1999, were dampened by persistent issues of bad governance, insecurity, and division.
Yet, Nigeria has shown resilience. Despite the many challenges, the state has not collapsed. The entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians has taken our music, films, fashion, and technology to global stages. Ordinary citizens have carried on with dignity and faith, even when leadership faltered. Nigeria remains the largest economy in Africa, the most populous black nation in the world, and a cultural powerhouse. But these strengths have not been translated into a truly unified, prosperous, and respected nation.
The truth is simple: Nigeria has existed as a country but not yet as a nation. A country is a political and geographical entity. A nation is a spiritual and psychological reality – a people bound by a common identity, a unifying dream, and a shared destiny. At 65, Nigeria still struggles with this deeper reality. Ethnicity, religion, and politics often divide more than they unite. Citizens pledge loyalty first to tribe, faith, or region before the state. Political contests are waged as battles of division rather than competitions of ideas. We lack a unifying philosophy – a set of ideals so compelling that every Nigerian, regardless of origin, feels ownership of the national project.
Other nations have gone through similar struggles but found their unifying anchor. America rallied around the idea of liberty. South Africa embraced Ubuntu. Ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome rose on clear ideals that defined their essence. What about Nigeria? What is the idea that binds us all together? What is the Nigeria Dream?
The absence of a unifying identity is Nigeria’s greatest challenge. Without it, resources cannot be managed effectively, politics degenerates into chaos, and citizens cannot rise above division. Time alone will not heal this. Nigeria must deliberately – consciously – create its true nationhood. This conscious creation requires answering fundamental questions we have long avoided: Who are we as a people? Beyond tribes and religions, what defines us? What binds us together? What is stronger than the colonial borders that made us? What is our national mission? What dream do we offer to our children and the world?
At 65, delay is dangerous. The older Nigeria grows without resolving these questions, the more divisions harden, and the more opportunities slip away. We are in an era where nations are defined not only by borders but by vision, knowledge, and global competitiveness. If Nigeria does not rise to this reality, we risk permanent stagnation.
To achieve true nationhood, Nigeria must embrace a philosophy of unity that transcends tribe and religion. The universal truth that Humanity is Life must define our existence. We must see ourselves first as human beings united by dignity and shared destiny before any other identity. We need a clear and inspiring Nigeria Dream that embodies justice, equity, innovation, prosperity, and leadership in Africa and the world. This dream should be taught in schools, echoed in governance, and lived in our daily interactions. Politics must be redefined as a noble tool for conscious statecraft – the art of uniting diverse peoples into a single purposeful destiny. Citizens must be reoriented to see themselves not as subjects of government but as co-creators of a great civilization, instilling values of discipline, responsibility, justice, and love for humanity. Above all, leadership must rise above personal gain and ethnic loyalties to embody the vision of conscious nationhood. The president, governors, lawmakers, and traditional rulers must see themselves as custodians of destiny, not owners of power.
But lofty ideals will remain empty rhetoric without practical strategies and deliberate modalities to birth this new national consciousness. Nigeria must therefore take concrete steps to lay the foundation for its true nationhood. First, there must be a National Rebirth Charter, a consensual document that articulates the Nigeria Dream, defines the values that unite us, and sets the moral and philosophical compass of the state. This charter should be developed through broad national dialogue, with voices from every ethnic group, religious tradition, and social class.
Second, we need a National Reorientation Curriculum that goes beyond civic education to instill discipline, patriotism, and universal consciousness in schools. From primary to tertiary institutions, young Nigerians must be trained not just in academics but in the ethics of responsibility, justice, and innovation. Education must produce nation-builders, not just certificate holders.
Third, Nigeria must institutionalize Merit and Equity in Governance. Appointments, resource allocation, and development projects must be seen to be just and fair. A transparent system that rewards excellence, punishes corruption, and balances diversity will build trust in the union.
Fourth, there should be Cultural Integration Platforms – arts, sports, festivals, and exchange programs that deliberately break down ethnic and religious barriers. Our music, film, and creative industries should be leveraged as tools of unity, not division.
Fifth, a new Social Contract between Leaders and Citizens must be established. Leaders should commit to selfless service and higher ideals, while citizens must commit to active participation, responsibility, and holding power accountable. A Nigeria of true nationhood will be impossible if citizens remain passive and cynical.
At 65, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. One path leads to continued fragility, division, and missed opportunities. The other path leads to conscious rebirth: a united, purposeful, and great nation. The choice is ours. History shows that greatness is never accidental. Great nations are consciously created, guided by vision and discipline. Nigeria’s rebirth will not come by chance; it must be deliberately built through philosophy, leadership, citizen reorientation, and practical institutional reforms. If we choose the higher path, we will not only fulfill our destiny but also offer the world a model: the rebirth of a nation from fragmentation into unity, from potential into greatness. The time is now. Let us rise as one.
By MUSA-ODODO ABDULRAHAMAN: Abdulrahaman is the Founder/President, Initiative for Discovery of Nigeria Heritage and Endowment (IDNHE) and Project Coordinator, National Policy Dialogue (www.nationalpolicydialogue.org)
