Just In: Nigeria's 60th independence celebration to last for a whole year — Buhari

The Buhari administration will make his this October, for being the first government in Nigeria's history, to mark an Independence Day celebration for a whole year.

This was disclosed yesterday, by the president at the unveiling of the logo and theme at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, which was conducted before the commencement of the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.


According to the President, Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary celebration would last for a whole year, ending September 30, 2021.

The president said due to the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the celebration would be low-keyed. He said its theme: “Together Shall We Be” had been chosen to forge a more united and cohesive Nigeria.

“Today we stand on the threshold of history as we formally begin a series of activities commemorating Nigeria’s diamond anniversary. The task history has saddled me with today is to proclaim a theme that will keep us united, help us forge ahead and unveil a logo that will form the critical pillars, which are 11 months modest commemoration activities will rest on.



“Celebrating 60 years of independence really calls for pomp and pageantry, but the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced all nations in the world to think and act differently, has also forced on us the imperative of a low-keyed celebration. Operating within the limitations placed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we created an internet challenge for Nigerians to make a choice from a set of four pre-selected logos that will appropriately define theme.

“Of these four options, Nigerians from all walks of life participated in making a choice and I’m happy to let you know that the logo I will be unveiling is a product of choice from the Nigerian people. I am informed that the selected option depicts our togetherness; a country of over 200 million people, whose natural talents, grits and passion glitter like the precious diamond we are.


"This to me is a sufficient appreciation to our most precious assets; our people. Everywhere you go, Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in academia, business, Innovation, music, movie, entertainment and culture. Furthermore, I am also made aware that the neatly encrusted diamond on the Nigerian map symbolises our age of treasure, the worth of the Nigerian people, who are sparkle to the admiration of the world.




"In the same vein, the fair green and the dark green colours should respectively remind us of our warmth, welcoming spirit and love, as well as abundant wealth inherent in our human capital and the richness of our land. All these properties made us, unarguably, the most prosperous black nation in the world and Africa’s largest economy."