The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) says Nigeria should be mourning the death of democracy, rule of law and economic independence on October 1, 2026, instead of merely celebrating another Independence Day anniversary.
HURIWA says that although Nigeria has continued to fly the flag of political independence, the country has lost substantial economic independence to what it describes as a cocktail of corrupt and self-serving political leadership, massive corruption, bad governance, heightened insecurity, unemployment, mass starvation and a crushing cost-of-living crisis.
The rights group says Nigerians are today confronted by the unregulated and constantly rising costs of petrol, cooking gas, diesel, electricity and other essential commodities, even as electricity supply remains grossly inadequate and unreliable.
HURIWA therefore says October 1 should be observed as a solemn day of national reflection, with the Nigerian flag flying at half-mast in commemoration of what it describes as the “obituary of democracy and economic strangulation” afflicting millions of Nigerians.
The association says the worsening socioeconomic conditions across the country make it difficult to celebrate independence without first confronting the harsh realities facing citizens.
HURIWA notes that the National Bureau of Statistics’ Multidimensional Poverty Index found that 63 per cent of Nigerians, representing about 133 million people, were multidimensionally poor, with deprivation affecting areas including health, education, living standards, work and security.
The organisation says the situation is particularly disturbing in rural communities, where the NBS recorded a multidimensional poverty rate of 72 per cent, compared with 42 per cent in urban areas.
HURIWA also points to the continuing pressure from food prices and the broader cost-of-living crisis, which it says has placed millions of households under severe economic strain.
The association says insecurity has further deepened the national crisis, with Nigerians being killed, kidnapped and displaced by terrorists, bandits and other armed groups across several parts of the country.
HURIWA says the continuing killings and abductions demonstrate the failure of successive administrations to adequately discharge the constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and property of citizens.
The rights group says independence is meaningless to a citizen who cannot afford food, secure decent employment, access reliable electricity, move freely without fear of attack or obtain justice when his or her rights are violated.
HURIWA therefore challenges the Federal Government and political leadership at all levels to explain what independence means to the millions of Nigerians trapped in poverty, unemployment, insecurity and economic hardship.
The association says democracy cannot be reduced to periodic elections, political appointments and elaborate Independence Day ceremonies while citizens continue to struggle for basic survival.
HURIWA insists that genuine independence must include economic freedom, social justice, security of lives and property, accountable leadership, respect for human rights and strict adherence to the rule of law.
The organisation warns that the widening gap between the political class and ordinary Nigerians is weakening public confidence in democratic institutions and deepening citizens’ frustration with governance.
HURIWA therefore demands urgent and measurable action to reduce poverty and hunger, secure communities, create jobs, improve electricity supply, strengthen public institutions and tackle corruption.
The rights group also calls for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, insisting that Nigeria cannot continue to celebrate political independence while economic deprivation and institutional failures undermine the dignity of the majority of its citizens.
HURIWA says October 1, 2026, should therefore be a day for sober national reflection and not merely another occasion for speeches, ceremonies and patriotic symbolism.
HURIWA says Nigeria must move from the celebration of independence to the delivery of freedom, justice, security, dignity and economic opportunity for its citizens.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator,
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
October 1, 2026
