WHAT’S HAPPY ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE DAY?

I wasn’t sure what to feel about the Independence Day celebration, I had a lot of questions swimming about in my head. So the curiosity doesn’t kill me, I decided to pass the question baton to three Nigerian youths AKA my friends(who would remain anonymous) to see if what’s in their heads reflect what’s in mine… or not.

FIRST NIGERIAN YOUTH(FNY).

Q1: Do you think this Independence Day is worth celebrating?

Reply: Yes, I believe so. Now and always. Regardless of the current situation of the country, the struggle and activism of heroes past to ensure the emancipation of an independent nation will always be worth celebrating, in my opinion.

Q2: Independence as a word means freedom, so for a country to be free, it means its citizens are free people. Tell me what freedom is like for you in Nigeria.

Reply: Freedom in Nigeria is more in the spirit of the people than in the reality of living.

Freedom is being able to look at my skin colour as perfect and not second to the white skin of a veto general.

Freedom in Nigeria for me is the culture and Community inspired jokes that we call memes and tweets and whatnot, that we share each day as proof that our spirits cannot be broken.

Freedom in Nigeria for me is in the day to day interaction that I have with people of diverse backgrounds and the imprints those leave on me, no matter how small.

SECOND NIGERIAN YOUTH(SNY)

Q3: Would you love to Japa?

Reply: Very well, yes. Especially if the government doesn’t get better.

Q4: Why would you love to japa?

Reply: Because I’ve been here long enough. I’m ready to go out.

I personally want to travel/tour around the world. Plus the government and this country is too corrupt. I want out.

THIRD NIGERIAN YOUTH(TNY)

Q5: We are supposed to be the new Nigeria and I’m asking you as the new Nigeria, do you think the japa trend has a positive or negative effect on the future of Nigeria?

.

Reply: I don’t think it’s either positive or negative. It’s not far fetched that people are japaing or migrating, it’s supposed to happen in any country because people need to travel for greener pastures but I think it’s more pronounced now because of the media and the current state of things in Nigeria.

Q6: So this is a yes or no question; do you believe there could still be a better Nigeria?

Reply: Yes, It’ll take time but it’s possible.

I want to believe I’m not the only one with more questions to ask, because some things they said got me like… okay? But for real?!

So I asked FNY and TNY two more questions here👇🏽

FNY

Q7: But don’t you think that idea of freedom is like an illusion, a small bubble we’ve chosen to live in to escape the “reality of living” like you call it?

Reply: I believe it’s more a safety net.

TNY

Q8: Checking the statistics, the number of people that have japa’d this year are twice the number that left last year, with the economic situation, the higher the number of people the more the cash flow, so with lesser people pushing cash flow now, do you think it’ll have a positive or negative effect?

Reply: Negative.

I’m curious — oh by now you should know I’m always curious, lol.

So, did you agree with everything my friends said or did their opinions reflect yours in any way?

Please I’d love to read your opinions in the comment section, you could also like and share this post.

Thank you💚.