By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Nigerians love to celebrate. They also express kind wishes on memorable days such as their country’s Independence Day anniversary. But this year’s Independence Day anniversary was an exception.
On WhatsApp, one of the favourites App of Nigerians, especially because it allows them to exchange pleasantries on special occasions, one particular message was outstanding on the eve of Nigeria’s Independence anniversary: “No matter the mistakes you make in life, please don’t send me happy Independence tomorrow.”
On October 1, the day of Nigeria’s 61st Independence anniversary, only a few people say they received the happy Independence day wishes. A large number said their contacts only wished them ‘Happy New Month.’
On previous Independence anniversary, the green white green, which is the colour of Nigeria’s flag, would be the dominant colour on the streets, in motor parks and in amusement areas.
Some churches, like Christ Embassy, would even embark on carnival-like evangelism with all participants wearing attire with a touch of green and white. Commercial and private vehicle owners would also have hung the Nigerian flag conspicuously, children would swing it on the road, while businesses would create a masterpiece with the flag on their premises.
But this year, at the busy Ojodu Beger motor park, there were no signs of green and white colour at display among the motorists, commuters, artisans and passersby who conduct their affairs there.
A woman who displays the Nigerian flag in the hope that people would buy, said sales have been bad this year as nobody has purchased any of the flags from her as of 11:30 am.
Fatima is happy with Nigeria at 61. TheNiche
The same scenario TheNiche met at the Allen Junction in Ikeja where a trader runs after uninterested vehicle owners in the hope that they would buy his flag. They didn’t. He later told TheNiche that he suspected people would not be interested in buying the flag, hence he didn’t invest in buying new ones but brought old stock, which was from the unsold of last year’s Independence anniversary.
TheNiche Image
Another woman who displays the flag at the same spot on Allen, also lamented that the only sales she has made were from corporate organisations who needed it as gifts for their customers. She said the situation this year was worse.
But TheNiche saw one lady who happily displays her flag while she hawks tiger nut drink. Asked why she’s happy waving the flag while conducting her business, she said because Nigeria is now better.