By Musa Bakare.
Sixty-five years after independence, Nigeria stands once more at a crossroads of history. The journey has been long and often painful, marked by promise and setback, triumph and disappointment. In 2025 however, under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the nation finds itself guided by a new earnest desire: the desire for renewal, prosperity, and dignity for all her people.
To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary is not a ceremonial pageant. It is a solemn reminder of past sacrifices and a call to present duty. His conviction is clear, the time has come to break the chains of waste, deceit, and dependency, and to anchor Nigeria’s destiny on productivity, accountability, and inclusive growth.
From his first day in office, President Tinubu confronted the burdens others had postponed. The fuel subsidy, long a drainpipe of corruption was removed. The multiple exchange rate regime that enriched a few while impoverishing millions was dismantled. These were not popular decisions, but they were necessary ones, taken in the belief that no nation prospers on illusions, only on truth and sacrifice.
Today, after 65, Nigeria is undergoing structural rebirth. The steel sector is reviving, agriculture is regaining energy, infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are reshaping the landscape, and power sector reforms are beginning to light up homes and industries. These are not promises on paper but foundations for a future where prosperity is shared and hope becomes real.
The deepest of President Tinubu’s heart desires for Nigeria lies not in brick and mortar but in the soul of the nation, to restore faith that Nigeria can truly work; to prove that integrity can triumph over corruption; to ensure that opportunity replaces despair; and to unite a people too long divided. His wish is that every farmer, trader, student, and professional will feel government in daily life, not in slogans.
As Nigeria marked 65 years of independence, President Tinubu’s message was simple but profound: our past mistakes must not define our future. With courage, sacrifice, and vision, a stronger Nigeria is not only possible, it is inevitable. It will be a Nigeria where institutions are respected, opportunities abound, and citizens proudly call this land their home.
At this historic milestone, the earnest desire of President Tinubu is the same as that of millions of true lovers of Nigerians, that our beloved nation shall rise, prosper, and take her rightful place as Africa’s leader and a beacon to the world.
– Musa Asiru Bakare is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a political analyst. He writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.
