Nigerians feel pride and despair on 56th Independence

Abuja, Nigeria - The lights are off and a few hundred people sit in the darkness of an auditorium facing a glowing stage. The Nigerian poet, Dike Chukwumerije recites a series of poems describing Nigeria's tumultuous history.

Chukwumerije's poems convey nostalgia and a longing for the Nigeria he experienced in his childhood. They illustrate a sense of loss in indigenous, cultural pride, a sense that Nigeria - which at 180 million, is Africa's most populous nation, has lost its direction on the road to nation-building since its independence from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960.

He laments the rise of religious extremism and the destruction of Nigeria's natural environment in places like the oil-rich Niger Delta region where the excavation of crude oil and spillages have left the mangrove swamps in a perpetual state of degradation.

"Bring back the trees, bring back the river, bring back the clean and peaceful delta.
Bring back the night, the full-mooned night and the stories we told by candlelight …

Who brought us to this place of tears ... before the proof of faith was riches?
Bring back Islam before jihadists, before the proof of faith was murder.

Bring back our love for one another.
When neighbours checked on each other's children not plotted how to kidnap them …

No matter how fast your internet is, you can't replace this heritage …
Bring back that old morality that drew its pride from who we were and not from what we wore.

Bring back the days of heroes past ...
How did it ever come to this?

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The event took place in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on the eve on Nigeria's 56 years of independence.

Today, on Nigeria's independence day, Nigerians reflect on what this day means to them

Nuhu Ribadu, politician, 2011 presidential candidate and anti-corruption activist

Nigeria's independence means a lot to me.

I'm 56 years old. Nigeria is a little bit older than I am, but it means that I am part of a country that is the biggest and the greatest black African country, the number one country for Africans and blacks in the world.

Nigeria is here for eternity.

I believe Nigeria will work. All of us, we just have to put our efforts into making this country great.

I believe that Nigeria is a country of the future. We still do have a lot of work; in particular, we need to find a sort of healthy avenue through which we can resolve our tensions. These things we are facing now, these challenges are temporary, and I believe it is a matter of time.

With this number of people, 180 million and still growing, with this massive energy and resources, with this resolve that we are not going to be left back or behind or out, I have no doubt the future is big for our country. 

I am proud of it. And I love my country. I love Nigeria.

And I'm prepared to give it everything it takes to be a great country …