Nigeria facing institutional adolescence at 66, says cleric

The Founder and Grand Sheikh, Caring and Sharing Sufi Centre (Muslims in Light Organisation), Dr. Rasheed Akinbile. | Credit: Press and Publication Dept.

As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, the Founder and Spiritual Master of the Caring and Sharing Sufi Centre (Muslims in Light Organization), Dr Rasheed Akinbile, has urged Nigerians and their leaders to engage in deep national reflection, declaring that “the oil childhood is over” and the country can no longer wait for “one wonder to save us.”

Akinbile made the call in an Independence Anniversary statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday, where he challenged Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence and the kind of nation they want to build.

He noted that Nigeria’s population had quadrupled since 1960, saying the country must now “sit quietly with itself and ask what is real” as it seeks to determine the collective character it wants to develop.

According to him, the country is also experiencing a major generational transition, with members of the founding generation gradually passing away while those who inherited power have grown old.

He said the critical question for the present generation should no longer be, “What did our fathers build?” but rather, “What have we, their children, kept?”

Akinbile warned that countries often encounter serious institutional challenges between 60 and 70 years after independence, when institutions are expected to survive “without emotional memory of independence.”

He described Nigeria at 66 as being in an “institutional adolescence,” arguing that although the country has foundational structures in place, its national character is still being shaped.

The cleric identified three major tests facing Nigeria: the peaceful transfer of political power, feeding the population while retaining young talent, and building a common national identity.

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On political transition, he said Nigeria must develop a system where “the loser goes home and lives well,” stressing the importance of peaceful political competition and stability.

He also called for greater attention to food security and the retention of young Nigerians, particularly talented youths who may otherwise seek opportunities abroad.

On national unity, Akinbile said Nigeria needs “one national story that the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Ijaw, Muslim, Christian can all say, ‘This is us,’” without feeling excluded.

Concluding his message, he described the 66th anniversary as a “mirror age,” urging Nigerians to move beyond asking, “How old are we?” and instead ask, “Who have we become?”

He extended Independence Anniversary greetings to Nigerians and called on citizens to continue working together to build Nigeria into what he described as the “true giant and economy engine of Africa.”

Akinbile, a longtime advocate of religious tolerance, was the convener of the first interreligious dialogue in Nigeria, held at the University of Ibadan in 1993.