01/10/2026
🇳🇬 Nigeria at 66: A Celebration of Hope, Not of Freedom
By Theo Nwajicash
When a baby is born, happiness, celebration, and jubilation fill the air. No one pauses at that moment to ask, “What if this child grows up to become a terrorist, an assassin, or a dreaded criminal?”
In the same way, I imagine the joy, excitement, and hope that filled the hearts of our fathers 66 years ago when Nigeria's independence was announced. They celebrated the birth of a nation. None of them could have imagined the situation and condition we would face today.
If those who fought for our independence had known that their children and grandchildren would one day suffer the hardships, insecurity, corruption, poverty, and disappointment we experience today, perhaps they would have wondered whether their sacrifices would lead to this.
But we will not blame them. It was not their fault.
The failure came from those who took over the affairs of the nation and chose selfishness, corruption, greed, and personal interest over the common good.
What Is in the Mind of the Average Nigerian Today?
For many Nigerians, this is not simply a celebration of 66 years of freedom.
It is a longing for true liberation.
Just as those who once celebrated the birth of a child may eventually grieve when that child takes a destructive path, many Nigerians today look at the state of the nation with pain, disappointment, and a longing for something better.
Unless the Lord intervenes—and we believe He will—the hope in many hearts is not merely for another independence anniversary.
It is for deliverance from the suffering, injustice, and conditions that have held this nation back.
But We Still Have Hope
Despite everything, we have hope.
Our hope is in God.
That is why our celebration today is not simply about Nigeria turning 66.
It is about looking back at 65 years of trials and tribulations and looking forward with faith that our salvation, restoration, and liberation are drawing nearer.
We believe that this 66th year can mark the beginning of a new chapter.
A chapter of justice.
A chapter of peace.
A chapter of dignity.
A chapter of restoration.
A chapter of true freedom.
May God remember Nigeria.
May He remember her people.
May He bring liberation, restoration, and lasting peace to our land.
🇳🇬 Nigeria at 66 — we still have hope.
Theo NwajiKash
