By John Dike, Osogbo
As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, a former member of the Osun State House of Assembly and Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Caucus, Hon. Omolaoye Oluremi Akintola, has expressed concern over the country’s development trajectory, saying political independence has not yet translated into the level of economic freedom, unity and self-reliance envisaged by the nation’s founding fathers.
Akintola, while reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since independence, said the country had passed through several political and economic phases, including civilian administrations, prolonged military rule and the eventual return to democratic governance.
He noted that the struggle for independence was driven by the desire of Nigerians to determine their own destiny and build a nation where political, economic and social affairs would be controlled by its citizens rather than an external colonial authority.
However, seven decades after the attainment of political independence, he said Nigeria still faced fundamental challenges that required serious reflection by political leaders, civil servants and other stakeholders.
According to him, the country’s independence anniversary should not merely be a period of celebration but an opportunity for Nigerians to examine how far the nation has travelled, what it has achieved and the areas where it has fallen short of the expectations of those who fought for independence.
Akintola said Nigeria had recorded notable achievements since 1960, but argued that the country could not afford to ignore the gaps that remained in economic development, national cohesion, institutional effectiveness and the ability to provide basic necessities for its citizens.
He observed that Nigeria’s development should be assessed not only by the size of its economy or the availability of natural resources but also by its capacity to convert those resources into products, services, jobs and improved living standards for the people.
Political Independence and Economic Dependence
For Akintola, one of the central questions confronting Nigeria at 70 is whether political independence has been matched by genuine economic independence.
He argued that a nation could not claim to be completely self-reliant when it depended heavily on other countries for products and services that could be produced locally.
“In economic growth, you must measure input and output, as well as GDP. If you cannot produce what you need and depend on another country, it means you are not economically independent,” he said.
He maintained that Nigeria needed to move beyond dependence on the export of raw materials and the importation of finished products, stressing that the country’s vast human and natural resources should be used to build productive industries capable of meeting domestic needs and competing internationally.
The former lawmaker said the issue was particularly important because Nigeria was blessed with abundant natural resources, a large population and a sizeable pool of educated and skilled citizens.
He questioned why a country with such resources and human capacity should continue to depend extensively on foreign countries for critical products.
According to him, the challenge was not necessarily the absence of resources but the ability of leadership and institutions to create the environment required for those resources to generate sustainable economic growth.
Refining Capacity as a Measure of Self-Reliance
Akintola particularly drew attention to Nigeria’s petroleum industry, using the country’s experience with petroleum refining as an example of the contradiction between its resource endowment and its productive capacity.
He questioned why Nigeria, one of Africa’s major oil-producing countries, had struggled for years to maintain sufficient functional public refineries while private individuals and companies were increasingly investing in refining capacity.
He said the development should compel leaders to examine the policies, management structures and institutional decisions that had affected the country’s ability to derive maximum value from its natural resources.
The former lawmaker argued that the objective should not simply be to produce crude oil but to develop the entire value chain, create jobs, support industries and ensure that Nigerians benefit directly from the resources beneath their soil.
He said strengthening local production would also reduce pressure on foreign exchange and lessen the country’s vulnerability to international economic shocks.
Leadership and Institutional Responsibility
Akintola linked many of the country’s challenges to the quality of leadership and the effectiveness of public institutions.
He called for greater cooperation among the executive, legislature, judiciary and civil service, saying national development could not be achieved when government institutions operated without sufficient coordination.
According to him, the responsibility for building a prosperous nation should not be left to one arm or level of government.
He said political office holders and civil servants must recognise that their primary responsibility was to serve the nation and create policies and institutions that would outlive individual administrations.
“The political, civil service and judiciary leaders must work collaboratively. If they do not work together, how can Nigeria grow?” he asked.
Akintola stressed that institutional stability was essential for economic development, noting that investors and citizens needed confidence that policies, laws and government programmes would be implemented consistently.
He urged political leaders to look beyond immediate political interests and focus on policies capable of producing long-term benefits for the country.
The Nigerian Capacity for Excellence
The former lawmaker also pointed to the success of private individuals and organisations in areas where public institutions had experienced difficulties.
He cited the establishment and management of private universities as an example of what Nigerians could accomplish when given the opportunity and the right incentives.
“Individuals build universities and manage them well, but a nation cannot. We need to ask ourselves why this is so and what we must do differently,” he said.
For him, the lesson is that Nigerians possess the entrepreneurial ability, professional expertise and innovative capacity required to build successful institutions.
He therefore called for an environment where government policies would encourage private investment while strengthening public institutions to deliver their responsibilities effectively.
Cost of Living and Welfare of Citizens
Akintola also expressed concern about the economic pressure on ordinary Nigerians, particularly the rising cost of food and energy.
He said economic independence should ultimately translate into better living conditions for citizens, arguing that economic statistics would mean little to families struggling to afford food, transportation, energy and other basic necessities.
He called on government to provide incentives capable of increasing domestic production and reducing the cost of essential commodities.
According to him, policies that stimulate agriculture, manufacturing, energy production and other productive sectors would help create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on imported goods.
“The government can put incentives in place that can put Nigeria in the right perspective. We must bring the prices of fuel and food down,” he said.
Nigeria’s Unity and National Cohesion
Beyond economic concerns, Akintola expressed worry about the level of division in the country, saying Nigeria appears more divided today than it was at independence.
He noted that the country had always been diverse in terms of ethnicity, religion, language and culture, but argued that diversity should be turned into a source of strength rather than division.
He called for greater emphasis on national identity, fairness and equal opportunity, saying citizens should be able to identify with Nigeria irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious backgrounds.
According to him, national development requires citizens and leaders to recognise their common interests and work towards building institutions that serve everyone.
A Call for Reflection at 70
Akintola said Nigeria’s 70th Independence Anniversary offered an opportunity for the country to look backwards and forwards at the same time.
Looking backwards, he said Nigerians should acknowledge the sacrifices of those who fought for independence and democratic governance.
Looking forward, he said the country must identify the mistakes and structural challenges that have slowed its development and begin to address them deliberately.
He warned that unresolved problems would not disappear on their own but would instead be passed from one generation to another.
“Many things accumulated will be left to be managed by others. Night is not falling; hope is not finally lost,” he said.
Akintola maintained that despite the difficulties facing the country, Nigerians should not lose hope in the possibility of a better future.
He said Nigeria still possessed the resources, population and human capacity required to become a stronger and more self-reliant nation.
Hope for the Future
The former lawmaker urged the government to demonstrate the political will required to make difficult but necessary decisions, insisting that the country’s challenges were not beyond solution.
He said the government should provide incentives for local production, strengthen institutions, support businesses and ensure that the country’s natural resources were converted into tangible benefits for citizens.
He also called on Nigerians to play their own part by supporting productive activities, demanding accountability from public officials and contributing positively to national development.
As Nigeria celebrates 70 years of independence, Akintola said the most important question should not simply be how many years the country has spent as an independent nation, but what those years have produced for its citizens.
For him, the next phase of Nigeria’s development must be about moving from political independence to genuine economic self-reliance, strengthening national unity and building institutions capable of delivering sustainable development.
He expressed optimism that, with the right leadership, effective institutions and deliberate investment in the country’s human and natural resources, Nigeria could still fulfil the aspirations of the generation that fought for independence.
“Hope is not finally lost,” Akintola said, urging the country’s leaders to look inward, do what is necessary and leave behind a stronger nation for generations yet unborn.
