Nigeria’s Independence

has come and gone but like every festive season, the moment lingers on for the next few days and you can’t help but wonder about the state of our nation.

We are a nation blessed with plenty and it’s disheartening to see images that are a reflection of how downtrodden we have become because we lack good leadership that has taken us backwards instead of forward.

If we look at pictures of Nigeria in the 50s-70s, it looks like we are looking at the future instead of the past! We have not made allowances for growth and increase of citizens since that time.

I remember even in my youth how we could ride our bicycles without fear of being hit by a car.

We could walk for miles to visit friends and neighbours without seeing any potholes. We could go to the market without fear of being hit by okada or kekemawa.

You could literally walk on the road without anyone stopping to ask if you are ok or if your car has broken down somewhere.

Oh the freedom of movement we had was second to none.

I do not recall ever hearing the sound of a generator in my youth not to talk of breathing the air consumed by their fumes.

I remember wearing Cotina shoes that were made in Nigeria.

Their quality was just as good as the foreign ones we also wore.

I remember my English teacher teaching us how to pronounce words properly.

I remember us being taught French and having music lessons.

I remember the fabrics for our school uniforms were ordered from England.

I do not remember my parents running like headless chickens looking for how to pay our school fees because the fees were so affordable for the average middle income family.

My parents were not filthy rich but we could still travel for summer almost every holiday. We did not lack and lived a comfortable life for an average family.

Air tickets for a family of six at the time was less than a month’s salary for my father. His first car cost him less than £4,000 at the time which was equivalent to N5,000 or so... at the time.

In school abroad, we were admired as those ‘rich Nigerians’.

Only the Arabs could compare to us in terms of spending power.

Where did we go wrong Nigeria? How do we get out of this situation we find ourselves in? How long can we continue like this? No amount of prayers can help us if we do not help ourselves. But with every dire situation, there is always a sliver lining which is why we celebrate those who have made something good out of something bad.

They have carved a niche for themselves and are excelling in their pursuit of sustainable livelihood.

Their products are made in Nigeria and can compete with global standard. There are many more of such people in the creative/lifestyle sector but we decided to showcase a few and pray that many FASHION DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE EDITOR more like them will spring up and continue to do us proud with the quality of their products. We hope the same tenacity they have in building their brand, will one day, transcend to the quality of leadership we will have in time to come!