An Urgent Awakening To Nigerians At 65 For Africa’s Emergence

Fellow Nigerians, today, another 1^st of October 2025 marks our 65^th year of administrative independence though, still struggling for true freedom. Contextually, freedom is not merely the lowering of a colonial flag rather, the right to live with dignity, free from fear, poverty, and corruption. Conversely and sadly too, we face a depressing and worrisome unemployment rate, insecurity, and a leadership culture that prioritizes hedonistic and profligacy over acceptable societal living standards. True freedom is the freedom of institutions with democratic expressions, where the will of the people triumphs over the greed of the few. As Nelson Mandela reminded us: “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

Unfortunately, the Nigerian elite today remain largely docile, retreating into silence while the nation suffers. But silence in the face of oppression is betrayal. The elites had neglected their responsibility of galvanizing the vast masses into a unified front for absolute change; forgetting that, revolutions are driven not by weapons but by numbers. A people awakened to their collective strength can achieve what once seemed impossible.

The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains. Yet those chains can be broken if we rise together. Kwame Nkrumah reminded us, the forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart. And as our African elders say, if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. The masses united are an unstoppable force for transformation.

Subsequent upon these, with my usual lone voice in the wilderness, I bring to you again The Unifiers Movement (TUM) a platform born out of necessity, courage, and vision to ensuring a paradigm shift in our national political processes, procedures, and participation purposefully to changing the narratives of dictatorial leadership emergence in Nigeria and stop the oligarchs’ hegemony bereft of vision, integrity, and ideological solutions.

We the populace know where the shoe pinches us and know those among us capable of leading us with capacity, character, compassion, courage, empathy as well as integrity. For too long, we have endured shenanigans of dictatorial recruited leaders imposed upon us without our consent, leaders without answers to our devastating critical problems. TUM is now saying, the power to choose is with us, and as such intentionally and resiliently determined to channel this power into a meaningful strategic leadership recruitment for national rebirth.

Without any form of respite nor response, for decades, the Nigeria populace has out of docility watched various recurrent leadership failures with their idiocy as follows:

From the presidency to governors, national and state assemblies, ministers and DGs, leadership has been reduced to a theater of deceit. Nigerians live in poverty while leaders display wealth that cannot be justified. The presidency, rather than symbolizing cohesion, has become the citadel of division. Our governors act like emperors, siphoning state resources while their people languish. National Assembly members are more concerned with allowances and contract-sharing than legislating for national progress.
The cluelessness of our leadership is most glaring in the economy management. Our foreign exchange crisis has destroyed businesses with major industrial enterprises closing their activities in droves while relocating to neighboring more stable economies. The naira dances daily to the tune of speculators, with no coherent policy direction. Inflation continues unchecked, pushing millions into extreme poverty. Instead of structural reforms, leaders embrace quick fixes pivoted on palliatives that only deepen our woes.
Nigeria bleeds daily from terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry. Families are torn apart, villages deserted, yet leadership looks away. Billions are budgeted for security yearly, but Nigerians see no result. The army is under-equipped, the police demoralized, and communities left to defend themselves thus, exposing the glaring leadership vacuum and idiocy.
Our political class are of zero integrity therefore, always drowning in scandals. Arising issues of alleged enmeshed certificate controversies with various international narcotics related allegations during the 2023 general elections are case studies here. Many of our senators carries corruption baggage so also, many high-ranking political appointees with various alleged international indictment cases of stealing client’s money pervades our leadership cadre. Governors parade mansions abroad while their states sink in debt. Budget padding is no longer rumor but normalized theft in the National Assembly. Integrity is absent while impunity thrives.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road project epitomizes contract breaches. Inflated costs, opaque bidding, and political favoritism dominates. Public resources are looted through contracts that add no value. The people remain spectators while leaders gorge themselves on our common wealth.
Opposition leaders and critics are silenced with state machinery through daily harassment and intimidation with trumped up financial crime charges which are mostly withdrawn immediately such people succumbs. Press freedom is shrinking, with journalists harassed, detained, or bought over. A democracy without free speech is nothing but a dictatorship in disguise.
Nigerians watch daily as lawmakers exchange blows, governors manipulate laws, and executives abuse power. Institutions designed to check power have become accomplices in its abuse. Our democracy is weakened, not strengthened. Our judiciary can not be exonerated from all of these whereby, contradictory judgements are been delivered on same and similar cases. The judiciary that once pride as the last hope of the common man now makes justice a commodity for sale. 2023 General Elections: The Judicial Validation of Electoral Violations – my 2023 Independence Day broadcast comes to mind here.
Inclusively, leadership deliberate impoverishing of Nigerians to maintain as well institutionalize their heist and Machiavellian control over the people has inadvertently become a matter of great concern. Subsidy removal without concrete justification rather deceitful rhetoric and measures has pushed millions of Nigerians into excruciating hunger. Farmers cannot go to farms because of heightened insecurity. Youths roam around due orchestrated unemployment, yet leaders has deliberately weaponized Greek gift handouts during elections to buy votes cheaply.
Deliberate negligence has turned insecurity into a lucrative business of the insensitive political class; while equally adopting politically sponsored security breaches to perpetuating unauthorized mining in Zamfara and other states. Kidnapping has turned into a billion-naira industry with insiders benefiting. The state has abandoned its duty of protecting its citizens.
The former enviable national foreign policy now been perceived as a shadow of its past. Nigeria, once the giant of Africa currently has no voice in the continental affairs. From ECOWAS to AU, Nigeria’s silence is deafening. Our lack of international leadership mirrors our failure at home.

Fellow Nigerians, it is against these backdrops of leadership idiocy, failures, corruption, cluelessness coupled with leadership zero integrity that, The Unifiers Movement (TUM) was conceptualized; purposefully to returning power to the people and essentially reinvigorating our nation back to those days of yore where it was the cynosure within the purview of the whole world. From the grassroots of the 774 local government areas of our nation, the enlightenment of this awakening shall be relentlessly as well resiliently preached and entrenched in the hearts of the citizenry. We will galvanize Nigerians into a movement of numbers, united in one purpose, determined in a unified spirit, and resolute in our actions. TUM is the awakening Nigerians should desperately desire at 65.

Nigerians’ unity within TUM will ultimately rewrite our national emergence into the desired prominence. Together we are poised to dismantle the structures of political/democratic impunity, government idiocy with their rascality at all levels, imposition/dictatorial leadership while conversely enthroning leadership rooted in vision, character, competence and compassion. We will build a Nigeria where the people, not godfathers, decide who leads. In TUM, numbers are power, while unity is strength. As I always say: A sleeping giant must awaken, or it will remain a playground for lesser nations. Together, we can birth a new dawn.

Eventually, the rebirth of our nation will inspire the emergence of African Pride. For the sun of Africa to rise, The Madiba Nelson Mandela once postulated that, Nigeria must get its acts together. Invariably, the emergence of Nigeria will equally rekindle the pride and unity of Africa. Consequently, authoritarianism will be dismantled while also reviving as well as rekindle the African spirit of unity, values of honesty and the cultural heritage of communalism. Economically, Nigeria’s resurgence will drive Africa’s collective new dawn into global relevance. A free and visionary Nigeria is Africa’s launchpad to global leadership. Africa will therefore no longer be a continent of potential but of power, shaping its destiny and world relevance.

In this spirit of freedom today 1^st of October 2025 on the 65^th independence anniversary of Nigeria, I propose the creation of a UNIFIED AFRICA REGIONS with a distinct acronym of UAR; a unified state that will promote and enhance a unified approach to Africans’ challenges and opportunities thus, fostering stronger ties, cooperation and integration. Additionally proposing a single currency named KWACHA (meaning a new dawn in Zambia/Malawi). Both the proposed unified name and currency represents an authentic African identity.

Fellow Nigerians, at 65, we stand at a crossroads. The time for complacency is over. Let us unite now to reclaim our destiny. Nigeria’s awakening is Africa’s hope. Together, let us rise. Together, let us lead.

Awake now Nigeria, the giant of Africa;

Unite now Africa to awaken your pride and cultural heritage;

The whole world awaits you Africa for your captainship.

At 65, Nigerians, here is Dr Dayo Kayode again wishing you FREEDOM.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY.
The Unifiers Movement says – the time is now for a new national political paradigm.

Sincerely Yours,
Dayo Kayode Ph.D
Convener & National Chairman
The Unifiers Movement (TUM)