57 years after gaining Independence from the British, our nation has witnessed bloody and bloodless military overthrows, financial and cultural crises, a civil war and recession and still, our nation, Nigeria is still standing and our people are still doing wonderful things in the country and in diaspora. Here are five reasons to smile and keep hope alive;
NIGERIA IS STILL ONE COUNTRY: Despite all the recent clamoring for a division of the nation, the attempts to secede and the socio-cultural violence springing up here and there in the country, we are still standing as one united country. It brings so much sense of relief to the heart of a true Nigerian to realize that despite all we have been through and all we have battled, we are still undivided and this is a big slap to the face of those who believed that our country would breakdown into chaos by this year. We are celebrating 57 years of oneness, unity in diversity and strength in variety.
WE ARE OFFICIALLY OUT OF RECESSION: On the 25th of April, 2017, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, expressed optimism that the country would be out of economic recession by end of June. On the 6th of September, 2017, Sahara Reporters published a survey that they had carried out on the streets of Lagos where a large number of respondents claimed that they have started ‘seeing’ the realities of the end of recession in the country. This spells a good future for our country and is good reason to be happy.
ASUU STRIKE SUSPENDED: At a time when strike actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities has come to be known as the major detriment to the prestige of our nation’s education sector, the fact that the Union can come to terms with the Federal Government and decide to suspend the strike action in order for students to return to classes is something to be happy and hopeful about. On the 18th of September, 2017, the union announced a ‘conditional suspension’ of the strike action and directed its members to return back to the classrooms, bringing hope to the collective society of Nigerian students.
These are some major reasons to be happy about Nigeria clocking 57 years and reason enough to celebrate. Happy Independence Day Nigeria.
