As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the 2023 presidential candidate for Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Prince Adewole Adebayo has called for a bold recommitment to justice, security, and development, urging Nigerians not to rest in nostalgia but to confront the nation’s most pressing challenges with urgency and unity.
This is contained in his message titled “Nigeria at 65: Hope Against the Odds,” Adebayo reflects on the country’s progress since independence, including its growth from a population of 45 million in 1960 to over 237 million today—the largest in Africa and sixth globally.
He also highlights the expansion of tertiary education and the global rise of Nigeria’s creative industries, such as Nollywood.
However, he warns that optimism alone is not enough. Citing alarming data from the National Bureau of Statistics, World Bank, and UN agencies, Adebayo notes that over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty, 31 million face acute food insecurity, and over 2.3 million are internally displaced due to violence and insecurity.
“These are not abstract figures; they are broken lives, and they demand a national response as urgent as war,” Adebayo writes.
He identifies three national priorities essential for Nigeria’s renewal:Security First – A unified, modern, and accountable national security strategy that integrates military, intelligence, and community peacebuilding efforts. Infrastructure Revolution – Massive investment in roads, power, broadband, and public services through transparent and accountable partnerships. Anti-Corruption Crusade – A crackdown on illicit financial flows and public sector corruption, which currently drains an estimated $18 billion annually from the economy.
He urged Nigerians and particularly the government to rise to the occasion and rekindle the founding spirit of independence:
“The urgent task before us now is to build a Nigeria where no Nigerian is left behind. This is the true promise of independence. This is the noble vision our founding fathers entrusted to us. This is the vision we must dare, together.”
