Ask anyone in diaspora and they’ll tell you: Nigeria never left us.
It’s in our pepper preference, our humour, our sense of community, our suspicion of authority, and our spiritual GPS.
We carry it in the way we speak, the way we style, the way we cook.
But every time you try to feel proud, something pulls back.
You want to shout “Naija no dey carry last” but you remember that Japa is now a survival plan.
You want to wear green and white but you’re also tracking currency rates.
You want to dream of home but the news reminds you of missing persons, lost elections, and rising costs.
It’s hard to stand in joy when your heart is quietly grieving.
For those abroad, it’s an annual tug-of-war
You’re in the UK, Canada, the US. You see the potential of functioning systems.
You know what it means to trust that the ambulance will come.
You see people go viral for their art, not for surviving nonsense.
And then October 1st comes, and you wonder:
How can something you love so much still leave you feeling stranded?
You think about going back, but then you think about NEPA.
You think about your future, but also your parents’ village.
You want to build back home, but you don’t want to beg for what should work.
And yet you still care.
You’re still looking for ways to plug in, invest, stay connected.
You still believe in small miracles.
You still say “Naija go better” even if your voice is lower now.
For those at home, you’re the real heroes
If you’re reading this in Nigeria, we salute you.
You’re not just surviving you’re building.
You’re creating joy in chaos.
You’re turning struggle into strategy.
You’re holding the line.
We see the weddings, the fashion, the memes, the music, the brilliance.
Even when systems fail, your spirit has refused to quit.
And that is the real Independence: joy despite.
So where does that leave us?
It leaves us loving from a distance.
Dreaming with one eye open.
Laughing through the frustration.
And hoping even when it feels foolish.
Because if there’s one thing that’s true of Nigerians, it’s this:
We don’t stop.
We keep praying.
We keep dancing.
We keep telling the story.
We keep showing up for each other, if not always for the state.
📣 How are you feeling this Independence week? Hopeful, heavy, indifferent?
Let’s talk about it. Use #EgogoIndependenceFeelings and share the emotion behind the green and white.
