Nigeria observes Independence Day as a legal national holiday on the first of October. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria declared its independence from British authority.
Brief History of Nigerian Independence Day
Current evidence of European influence The first European explorers from Spain and Portugal started dealing with locals in the 16th century, which led to the growth of ports like Lagos.
Through the Royal Niger Company, the British grew to be a more powerful force in the area in the late 19th century, thwarting German ambitions to colonise it.
The Royal Niger Company’s former possessions became the Southern Nigeria Protectorate in 1900. The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, which established the borders of contemporary Nigeria, was formed in 1914 when this was joined with the Northern Nigeria Protectorate.
The British established many aspects of modern life in Nigeria, but by the middle of the 20th century, the continent-wide movement for independence and the shrinking British Empire forced Nigeria to declare its independence on October 1st, 1960. The new government was parliamentary, and the three region his of the country were given some degree of autonomy.
A new constitution was adopted on October 1, 1963, and Nnamdi Azikiwe was elected as the nation’s first president. This marked Nigeria’s complete independence from Britain and its transformation into a federal republic.
Nigeria was ruled by a military dictatorship from 1966 to 1979 as a result of a series of military coups that were sparked by political turmoil in the country.
Happy 62nd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, Nigerians.
