Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has said Nigerians cannot genuinely celebrate the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary amid widespread poverty, hunger, unemployment and insecurity.
Sowore argued that true independence would remain incomplete without freedom, dignity, justice and equality for citizens.
The human rights activist stated this in a post on X on Thursday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
He said although Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960, millions of Nigerians were yet to enjoy the fundamental benefits associated with independence.
“Today, Nigeria marks 66 years since the Union Jack was lowered and our green-white-green flag was raised. But for millions of Nigerians, the fundamental promise of independence, freedom, dignity, prosperity, justice, and equality, remains unfulfilled,” he said.
Sowore said the country could not genuinely celebrate independence while many citizens continued to grapple with poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity and inadequate access to basic services.
“We cannot celebrate independence while our people are trapped in poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, darkness, and hopelessness,” he stated.
He also criticised the state of education, healthcare and electricity, while accusing those entrusted with public resources of misappropriation.
“We cannot call ourselves truly independent when our children are denied quality education, workers earn wages that cannot sustain their families, hospitals are collapsing, the paltry electricity that exists remains a luxury, and those entrusted with public resources loot with impunity,” he said.
Sowore maintained that Nigerians were not responsible for the challenges confronting the country, describing them as hardworking, creative and resilient.
“Nigeria’s problem is not its people. Nigerians are hardworking, creative, resilient, and extraordinarily resourceful,” he said.
He, however, accused successive governments of failing to adequately utilise the country’s human and natural resources.
“The tragedy is that successive ruling establishments have squandered our enormous human and natural wealth while demanding endless sacrifices from those who have the least,” he added.
The activist said Nigerians deserved more than ceremonial celebrations and promises, arguing that citizens should enjoy equal rights and what he described as “revolutionary justice.”
He said Nigerians deserved a country where workers could earn a living wage, access quality education and healthcare, and enjoy reliable electricity.
“They deserve a country where workers earn a living wage; where education and healthcare are accessible; where electricity works; where young people can build meaningful lives; where farmers can work without fear; and where no Nigerian is arrested, brutalized, or imprisoned simply for challenging those in power,” he stated.
Sowore said the responsibility of his generation went beyond celebrating the independence attained in 1960.
“The task before our generation is not merely to celebrate the independence handed to us in 1960. Our historic duty is to redo it,” he said.
He called for what he described as genuine independence from corruption, oppression, poverty, injustice, ethnic manipulation and religious bigotry.
“We must build a Nigeria that is genuinely independent, not just from colonial rule, but from internal colonizers enmeshed in monumental corruption, oppression, poverty, injustice, ethnic manipulation, religious bigotry, divisive politics, and the political establishment that has held our people down for decades,” he said.
Sowore concluded by calling for a Nigeria that serves all citizens rather than a privileged section of the population.
