Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the leader of the Afenifere faction aligned with the late Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has called for a “total reset” of Nigeria, saying the country has struggled to translate 66 years of independence into meaningful economic self-reliance and improved living conditions.
Olaitan made the remarks Thursday as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Day, saying the country’s survival through war, military rule, economic crises and political upheaval remained significant but should not be mistaken for adequate progress.
“Once there is life, there is hope,” Olaitan said. “At least we are here. We have not disintegrated. We are not like a broken country yet. We are not at war, so thanks to God.”
He, however, said Nigeria’s development had been characterized by repeated setbacks.
“We’ve been taking five steps forward and 10 steps backward,” he said. “I don’t know whether there’s anything to celebrate.”
Olaitan said Nigerians who witnessed independence in 1960 had expected the country to become genuinely self-reliant and capable of managing its affairs without excessive foreign influence.
“We thought we were going to be truly independent. We thought we could manage our affairs by ourselves,” he said. “But apparently, we were mistaken.”
He questioned whether Nigeria had fully achieved the objectives of independence, arguing that the country remained heavily influenced by external forces and had struggled to make independent decisions.
“Are we truly independent even now?” Olaitan asked. “We can’t take any decision by ourselves. What independence have we got?”
The Afenifere faction leader also criticized the decline of local manufacturing and public infrastructure, citing industries that once produced or assembled cars, batteries and tires, as well as the condition of schools, roads, railways and aviation.
“Our educational system was at least reasonable. Where is it now?” he said. “Our children are going to classes on bare floors.”
Olaitan said the deterioration of infrastructure had become particularly troubling, citing the condition of roads he traveled on recently.
“After 66 years, no roads, no railway. Our airline gone. No national airline anymore,” he said.
He called for a fundamental change in the country’s direction but rejected violent upheaval as a solution.
“I’m not asking for a revolution, but I’m asking for a reset,” Olaitan said. “There must be a total reset. Without a reset, we are just wasting our time.”
Olaitan Questions Electoral Process
Olaitan also questioned the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections, focusing particularly on the appointment process for the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC.
“Is INEC independent?” he asked. “When the person who is going to take part in the game is the person appointing the arbiter, what type of justice is there?”
His comments come as Nigerians mark 66 years of independence.
In his Independence Day address Thursday, President Bola Tinubu acknowledged the country’s difficult history but said his administration’s economic reforms had corrected Nigeria’s course and laid the foundation for what he called an “age of prosperity.”
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