Older Nigerians describe rising hardship and insecurity since independence
As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence anniversary, citizens who remember the country’s early decades say living costs, insecurity and reduced economic opportunity have worsened. They recalled cheaper goods, wider access to education and stronger employment prospects, while calling for better leadership, job creation, resource management and policies focused on ordinary people.
Older Nigerians who witnessed the country’s independence celebrations have described a sharp deterioration in living standards, security and economic opportunity as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence anniversary. Pa Keffas Gadda, 76, said Independence Day was once associated with optimism and the belief that Nigeria would become a great country. He recalled that conditions in the 1970s were better than today, with cheaper transport and bread, free education and greater government involvement in schooling.
Gadda also said political leaders in that period appeared less focused on personal and family interests. He called for a stronger sense of national identity and a country in which ordinary citizens could live more comfortably. David Ayinde, in his late sixties, illustrated the fall in the value of money by comparing the price of a bicycle he bought in 1983 with the cost of an Okada today.
He said insecurity had also increased, recalling a time when people travelled late at night without the fear of robbery, killings or other attacks. Pa Joseph Abiola, 80, said salaries now struggle to cover basic needs, even as young people face unemployment and economic hardship. He urged the government to create jobs, manage resources properly and develop policies that support the wider population.
Mrs Eunice Aderemi, 78, similarly recalled being able to attend school and buy necessities with only a few kobo. She said money now disappears quickly, even for people with regular incomes, and described the country as having deteriorated severely. Ojo Bello, 65, said employers and training centres once recruited young people before they completed secondary school, while university graduates often secured jobs soon after graduation.
The interviewees’ recollections combined nostalgia for earlier conditions with demands for more effective and honest leadership.
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