As Nigeria marks its 63rd Independence Day, Adewole Adebayo, a prominent lawyer and former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the February 25 election, sat down for an exclusive interview to share his insights on the nation’s progress and challenges.
When asked about his assessment of Nigeria’s development over the past 63 years, Adebayo acknowledged the strides the country has made. He pointed out that Nigeria is currently in a democratic era, having recently concluded a significant election. While he acknowledged that the nation has faced challenges, he noted that these issues are not unique to Nigeria and are shared by many other countries worldwide.
Adebayo emphasized the importance of unity and the opportunity for Nigerians to build upon the work of their founding fathers. He highlighted the development of a new capital city and the country’s increased unity since gaining independence from British colonial rule. However, he acknowledged that challenges, such as insecurity and extreme poverty, still persist.
The lawyer expressed a heartfelt desire for Nigeria to avoid the fate of becoming a nation without a country, drawing from his experiences working with people who have lost their homeland. Adebayo emphasized the need for all segments of Nigerian society to take responsibility for their roles and work towards creating a more just, fulfilling, and inclusive nation for its citizens, particularly the youth.
As Nigeria celebrates its 63rd Independence Day, Adebayo believes that the nation has ample reasons to rejoice and even more compelling reasons to collectively strive for a brighter and more prosperous future.