As some of you may know, I’m of Nigerian descent. Even though I have spent more years of my life away from Nigeria than in Nigeria, I am still proudly connected to my roots.
On this day, 58 years ago, Nigeria gained independence from her colonial masters, Great Britain. Whilst some may argue that the road post independence has been perhaps rougher and tainted with more challenges than we would like, that is not the essence of this post. The essence of this post is to recognize and celebrate Nigeria or better still Nigerians for some of the things that makes us a unique and special people.
Defiant and uncompromising in our pursuits, Nigerians are easily the most tenacious people I know. In the face of extreme adversity and hard conditions, Nigerians will still find a way to thrive in their conditions. 
I say this not out of bias but Nigerians are also some of the most enterprising people in the world. Search for Nigerian local brands on Instagram, and you will find individuals within the beauty, fashion, photography, film and many more industries making grande moves and sometimes even competing against world brands. These aren’t always individuals with government funding or support from large corporations but people who have set out on their own; built from ground up successful businesses, creating jobs and adding positively to the economy.
Don’t get me started on how we are a happy people. Nigerians possess the ability to find humor even in the darkest situations. We are also party people. And of course we are big spenders. We work hard and we play hard. Not to mention we are in general a very intelligent and academic bunch.

Regardless of the many challenges that we face as a people, we continue to strive for excellence not just locally but on the world platform. Today, as always, I join millions of Nigerians not just in Nigeria but across the globe to continue to hope for a brighter future. In hoping, we will continue to do our best to represent our motherland in the best light home and abroad.
Photography by Winifred and Marcus
T-shirt: River Island Similar
Skirt: River Island
Court shoes: River Island
Earrings: River Island Similar