65 years after independence, Nigerians are still served the same jollof of bad leadership, corruption, and economic hardship, leaving ordinary citizens wondering if there is truly anything to celebrate beyond survival.

Development Diaries reports that President Bola Tinubu declared on 01 October, 2025, that the ‘worst is over’ on the back of a series of economic reforms that have left millions of Nigerians struggling to survive, with many falling deeper into poverty.

On the economy, the president said reforms are on track and that Nigerians must ‘tighten their belts’ today for a prosperous tomorrow. But Nigerians are not just tightening belts; the belts have snapped.

Let’s talk about inflation. It has swallowed salaries, the naira is dancing like a yo-yo against the dollar, and small businesses are shutting down daily.

In the nation’s capital, Abuja, a bag of rice now costs more than the monthly minimum wage, while in one of the nation’s commercial hubs, Kano, traders complain that customers now buy cooking oil ‘in teaspoons’.

So, when the president says ‘the economy is on the right path’, could he actually be asking citizens to endure hunger for another season?

On jobs, President Tinubu reassured young people of job creation. The reality is that unemployment and underemployment are so high that okada riding and POS kiosks have become the largest employers of labour. Promises of tech hubs and innovation villages mean little when the average Nigerian graduate does not even have reliable electricity to charge a laptop.

In relation to food security, the president said it is a top priority. Meanwhile, tomatoes are selling like luxury handbags, and beans are flirting with caviar prices. Farmers in Nigeria’s food basket, Benue State, cannot farm because of insecurity, and mothers in Lagos are buying cooking oil in sachets.

With regard to insecurity, President Tinubu said peace is returning. The question is: to where? Because kidnappers still run shifts on highways.

Nigerians are tired. Every October 1st feels like an annual recital of ‘e go better’. Mr President, citizens have been promised better since independence, and at this point, ‘better’ is older than most Nigerians alive today.

As citizens, let us start asking real questions. If food security is priority, then when exactly will prices drop? If billions are budgeted for agriculture, where are the tractors, the silos, the storage facilities?

And let’s talk accountability: failed promises should not just vanish like NEPA or PHCN light. Citizens should insist that leaders who do not deliver feel the heat at the ballot box, in parliament, and on the streets.

Most importantly, Nigerians must push for economic justice. Minimum wage must be living wage, not ‘transport fare for one week’. Small businesses should thrive, not drown in taxes while big men get exemptions.

At 65, Nigeria should not still be writing SSCE in nation-building. And as Kwame Nkrumah warned, without economic independence, political independence is just noise.