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Happy 55th Independence Day, Nigeria! What Does it Mean to Be Nigerian?

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Happy Independence Day to Nigeria! Today is the 55th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule and as a Nigerian, that leaves me with a lot of mixed feelings. One minute I’m elated at the fact that we’re free to be our own people; the next minute I’m sad at how much we have done (or not) with the freedom.

Maybe it IS normal to not feel one thing. For instance, I LOVE groundnut, but I hate the fact that one handful of it is 150calories!

I love Nigeria… with all my heart. It’s the kind of love that hurts when it is not reciprocated, yet you love all the same.  The Al Jazeera series tagged ‘My Nigeria’ has been a very interesting insight into how our country is perceived by people different works of life.

So tell us, BellaNaijarians, what does being Nigeria mean to you? They say there is unity in diversity, and that it is our diversity that makes us unique… so what are the things you believe unite Nigerians?

Maybe if we celebrate those things, maybe we can forge ahead and grow stronger, with a unity of purpose.

Let us fly the Nigerian flag today… with pride.

It is our country… through the good, and through the bad. Nobody’s going to celebrate it for us if we don’t.

Go forth and hoist your Nigerian flag today!

Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Wavebreakmedia Ltd

You probably wanna read a fancy bio? But first things first! Atoke published a book titled, +234 - An Awkward Guide to Being Nigerian. It's available on Amazon. ;)  Also available at Roving Heights bookstore. Okay, let's go on to the bio: With a Masters degree in Creative Writing from Swansea University, Atoke hopes to be known as more than just a retired foodie and a FitFam adherent. She can be reached for speechwriting, copywriting, letter writing, script writing, ghost writing  and book reviews by email – [email protected]. She tweets with the handle @atoke_ | Check out her Instagram page @atoke_ and visit her website atoke.com for more information.

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