Today, October 1st, Africshowbiz Magazine joins all Nigerians in celebrating a huge milestone: 65 years of independence! This is the day the country remembers its freedom from British rule.
The road to freedom started long before 1960. Nigeria was created by the British when they joined the Northern and Southern areas together in 1914. After the Second World War, many important Nigerian leaders—like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello—began fighting hard for the right to govern themselves.
After several meetings and changes to the government setup, a big step was taken after the 1959 elections. Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became the Prime Minister, and his government prepared the country for the final handover of power.
The moment of freedom came at midnight on October 1, 1960. In the main city of Lagos, the British flag was taken down, and the new green-white-green Nigerian flag was raised for the very first time.
At a formal ceremony, a representative of the British Queen, Princess Alexandra, handed over the legal documents for independence to Prime Minister Balewa. Balewa took charge as the leader of the government, and Nnamdi Azikiwe was sworn in as the Governor-General.
Although Nigeria was now independent, it was still connected to the Queen for a few years. That changed on October 1, 1963, when Nigeria became a full republic, and Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President.
Every year, Independence Day is a time of national pride. There are big parades, the President gives a speech, and people celebrate Nigeria's many cultures and strong spirit. It is a day to look back at the past and look forward to the nation's future.