On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom. This momentous occasion marked the end of over 60 years of British colonial rule. The Union Jack was lowered and the new green-white-green Nigerian flag was raised at the Race Course (now Tafawa Balewa Square) in Lagos.
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became the first Prime Minister of an independent Nigeria, while Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was appointed Governor-General, representing the Queen. The journey to independence was led by a generation of nationalists including Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello, who negotiated various constitutional frameworks leading up to this day.
The independence celebrations were marked by nationwide festivities, parades, and a sense of immense hope for the future of the “Giant of Africa.” However, the new nation faced immediate challenges in balancing the interests of its diverse ethnic and regional groups within a federal structure.