Nigeria @65: Adebayo Calls for Renewal, Warns Against Fragile Foundations

As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence Anniversary, former presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has called for urgent national renewal, warning that the country risks stumbling as “a colossus with feet of clay” if insecurity, corruption, and poverty remain unchecked.

In a statement titled “Hope Against the Odds,” Adebayo said Independence Day should be more than a ritual of celebration—it must serve as a moment of reflection and rededication to the nation’s founding ideals. He recalled the words of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in 1960, urging Nigerians to continue building on the “firm foundations” laid by the nation’s founding fathers.

Painting a stark picture, Adebayo highlighted Nigeria’s pressing challenges: 133 million citizens living in multidimensional poverty, 31 million facing food insecurity, more than 2.3 million displaced by violence, and an infrastructure gap exceeding $100 billion. He also lamented corruption, which he said bleeds the country of an estimated $18 billion annually.

“These are not abstract figures—they are broken lives. They demand a response as urgent as war,” he said.

Despite this grim reality, Adebayo struck an optimistic tone, insisting that Nigeria’s future could still be secured if urgent steps are taken.

He identified three priorities for national renewal to include Security a coherent, unified doctrine integrating the military, police, intelligence, and communities, Infrastructure revolution in a transparent, disciplined investments to close deficits in power, transport, and digital access.
He also urged Corruption crackdown by ensuring that every public naira is traceable and every official accountable.

He further emphasized the central role of Nigeria’s youth, noting that with over 70% of citizens under 30, investment in education, skills, and innovation must be treated as the “master strategy for national greatness.”

“Nigeria has never shied away from its challenges,” he said. “We overcame because we chose courage over fear, unity over division, and hope over hopelessness. At 65, we must dare again to build the Nigeria of our dreams.”