The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has said that Nigeria is still grappling with the challenge of transforming from a mere country into a true nation, despite over six decades of independence.
Speaking on TVC’s Townsquare series on Wednesday, October 1, to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Issa-Onilu reflected on the country’s historical and political journey since gaining independence in 1960.
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“Before independence, it was the fight for independence that was on the mind of the founding fathers of Nigeria,” he said.
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“After independence, we were faced with the issue of governance. The issue we have now is how to transition from being a ‘country’ to becoming a ‘nation’. We’re not yet a nation.”
According to the NOA chief, the current national challenge transcends governance issues and lies in forging a unified identity and shared values among Nigeria’s diverse peoples.
“So the challenge Nigeria has now is not really governance, but the transitioning to becoming a Nation and to make sure the true Nigerian emerges,” he added.
