Nigeria at 64 in NYC!

64 years ago on Oct 1, the great nation of Republic of Nigeria literally dodged the apartheid bullet by gaining independence shortly before discovering vast mineral resources such as oil, among many other things that would have subjected the most populous black country in the world to what their fellow African nation had endured at the hands of their oppressors due to their land serving as home to some of the biggest diamonds in the world. I need not name the countries. Your guess is as good as mine.

Nigerians in diaspora living in New York City and nearby states flocked to the big apple, proudly clad in their beloved countries flag of green and white fineries, took to the iconic Madison Avenue, floats and flags of various sizes in tow. They danced (myself included) in merriment, with pride and joy, enough to attract passersby, who had no idea of what was going on, but instantly felt had the spontaneous inclination to join in on the fun, dancing and waving the Nigerian flags given to them. I’ve never felt more proud as a Nigerian, having covered many a parades here in the city. I felt right at home, amongst my kinsmen, which to me is akin to shouting from a mountain top with immense pride.

The celebration could easily rival any Nigerian wedding, which in itself is iconic and legendary. Nigerians are known to have one of the most elaborate and lavish weddings in the world. The celebration of the Nation’s independence in New York felt more like a week long festivities. Suffice to say, it actually only started few days before, which included a ceremony of Nigeria”s flag being raised in the morning by the bull statue near Wall Street, to the tune of the national anthem with the help of New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams, followed by a sumptuous dinner gala, hosted by the Consulate General Ambassador Abubakar Jidda at the Embassy, the Nigeria House on the actual independence day of Oct 1, and built up to the annual parade the next day. The dinner gala also served as a great opportunity to recognize and award great achievements by Nigerians in diaspora, such as Dr. Philip Ozuah, president & CEO of Montefiore Medicine (who “sprayed” the presenter of his award, OAN President, Tomi Aregbesola, while dancing, several $100 bills!). Others awarded included members of the OAN for their unwaving and selfless dedication to their contributions in keeping the culture of Nigerians alive within the community here in the USA.

The parade, under the auspices of the OAN, the Organization for the Advancement of Nigerians, Inc, with Honorable Judge Olayinka DanSalami at the helm as the Committee Chairman, was previously held at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at Turtle Bay, but had to be moved to its current location on Madison Avenue due to an ongoing construction at the previous site. It might have been a devil in disguise because the new parade route ends at the Madison Square Park on 26th street, which also serves as a favorable route for other ethnic group’s parade routes in the city, such as the Persian and Indian Day parades. The location offers a far more visible vantage point at the park, where vendors are set up and could easily be accessible to onlookers who might have never heard about the parade or tried any of the wares offered by Nigeria as a country. Unfortunately, many previous revelers took it upon themselves to go to the previous location out of habit, thus missed out on the occasion.

Nigerians, known for their hardwork, high achievements, resilience and ability to adapt to anywhere and anything, made Madison Avenue a place many would never forget. The affair turned into an Afrobeat outdoor block party. We wouldn’t expect anything less from a Nigerian soiree, considering their the source of the reigning music genre worldwide at the moment. The event unleashed several dances moves from Mayor Eric Adams and the Ambassador himself, who soon tossed aside his ceremonial robe (agbada). They were cutting up! The biggest score of the day was when Nigeran superstar Kcee took over the stage with some of his hits. The increased vibration of energy could be felt several city blocks away. Congratulations to Judge Olayinka DanSalami, Olayinka Sarayi, Tomi Aregbesola, Ibrahim Ahmed, and so many others at the OAN team for pulling this entire operation off flawlessly!

Can we expect this kind of level of excitement and organization going forward? What’s 65th ….dare I say, 70th going to look like? Are we ready? Nigeria kwenu! Nigeria kwenu! Let’s do it again next year! I definitely can’t wait!

Be sure to watch the event’s video on instagram.