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One of Nigeria’s greatest assets is our creativity and ingenuity. We are not afraid to make do with what we have on hand; we use every opportunity at our disposal to foster growth and innovation in our country.

Whether it’s writing code that allows a business to serve customers without internet access or installing solar panels on top of homes as a low-cost solution for power generation—Nigerians are always coming up with creative ways to solve their problems. This attitude has made us highly sought after by organizations around the world that value creative problem solving and dedication.

Many Nigerians go abroad seeking greener pastures but many end up staying abroad after experiencing other cultures that lack our unique strengths like hard work, passion, resilience and resourcefulness.

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The British proclaimed Lagos a city on August 21, 1861. The formal ceremony of transferring the territory to Great Britain was held at Eko (Lagos) on February 28, 1862. The colony was under indirect rule until 1893 when most powers were transferred to elected representatives in Lagos Colony and Lagos Colony Councils.

When southern and northern protectorates were combined in May 1914 as Southern Nigeria Governor’s Province (the northern part retained its name), a Resident Commissioner from Northern Nigeria served as ex-officio Lieutenant Governor of Southern Nigeria with responsibility for foreign relations with other countries.

In June 1922, Sir Donald Cameron became governor of both Northern and Southern Provinces.

In October 1946, these two provinces were merged into an independent federation called Nigeria.

On October 1st 1960, Nigeria gained full independence from Britain after 57 years of self government. This date is celebrated as Independence Day. Nigeria joined Commonwealth of Nations on December 13th 1961.

Since then, there have been three more handovers between military rulers and democratically elected leaders: Abacha handed over power to Abdulsalam Abubakar in 1998; Abdulsalam handed over power to Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999; and Umaru Yar'Adua handed over power to Goodluck Jonathan in 2010.

Also since 1999, Nigeria has witnessed one peaceful transfer of power from one civilian president to another through elections which is seen by many as a democratic milestone for Africa's most populous nation.

Now, we are free to be what we want and express ourselves how we want.

There are no rules set on us about how we should live our lives or where we should live it. We can freely do what we love without being persecuted for it.

There are many reasons why someone would choose to love their country. For me, one of the reasons is because my country has a history steeped in tradition and culture. This is especially true for those who have been living in different parts of our nation for generations.

In fact, even though each tribe has its own story on how they came to be where they currently reside; more often than not there is always something about common ground.

There's a reason people chose to stay within their borders as opposed to move on after settling in a place - because it's special and beautiful.

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3 Changes I Would Love to See in Nigeria

I have lived in Nigeria all my life, and I can say that it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, but when it comes to the economy, the government and corruption, our country is one of the worst there is.

However, I do believe that Nigeria can make changes to be more like a developed country. If we implemented these three changes, I think we would be much better off than we are now.

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NIGERIA IS A RICH COUNTRY, with oil, gas and gold reserves worth $1 trillion. But too much of that wealth is siphoned off by corrupt officials.

Many people believe that in order for Africa’s largest country to thrive, it needs an anticorruption campaign at home and better relations with its neighbors—particularly oil-rich Angola. That would free up funds for domestic projects like building new roads, schools and hospitals.

It’s vital that Nigeria help build stability within its borders as well as on its borders; most countries cannot progress without strong leadership at home. But that can happen only if public officials are held accountable for their actions. (That will also encourage private companies to do business in Nigeria.)

Corruption has deep roots in Nigerian society, but there are steps we can take to reverse it. There must be consequences for corruption: Expel corrupt leaders from office (and ban them from future office).

Investigate allegations of corruption against all elected and appointed officials, including members of Parliament and local councilors. Improve financial controls over government spending.

Create independent agencies dedicated to investigating corruption charges against high-level government officials—and give those agencies real powers to investigate, arrest and prosecute those suspected of graft.

Make sure that everyone who files a complaint about corruption is protected from retaliation or intimidation. And don’t just target small fry; go after big fish, too. Make sure that when someone goes to jail for stealing money, he stays there. And when he gets out, he should have no access to his ill-gotten gains or any state resources whatsoever. That includes no pension, no post-office box and no health care benefits.

If you want to fight corruption in Nigeria (and elsewhere), start demanding accountability now! Demand your right as a citizen to know how your tax dollars are being spent – demand transparency! Demand accountability! Demand change!

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The lack of good-quality education is one of our biggest problems. Although it's easy to blame teachers and parents, many schools are poorly funded and understaffed—particularly rural ones. As more parents in Nigeria choose private schools, public schools continue to suffer.

Many Nigerians also work overseas for years at a time, meaning that a child’s only chance for an education is if his or her parents take on extra jobs or pay for private lessons themselves.

If we want our future generations to compete with other countries and become global leaders, improving our education system should be priority number one. This can be done by increasing funding, better managing our schools and encouraging businesses to invest in their local communities by donating books and supplies. This would have a direct impact on children all over Nigeria who struggle daily just to get access to an education.

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As a developing economy, it’s no surprise that small businesses are limited. If we want change and more options for entrepreneurs, we have to encourage startups in our country.

As unemployment rates grow, we can expect that many of those underemployed will look toward starting their own business to supplement their income or quit altogether.

As one of those potential entrepreneurs, it’s important for us to recognize that startups have multiple benefits for your community at large: they reduce crime by offering jobs and use local resources like services, materials and labor; they create opportunities for otherwise unemployed people; they foster job growth; they increase diversity as well as competition between companies—and so on. But do these companies start with our support?
Startups need access to startup capital, legal advice and help navigating regulations. They also need mentors who have been there before. So if you see an opportunity for improvement in your city, consider helping out where you can. You might just be able to make a difference.

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As I end my post, there's nothing more that makes me prouder than being Nigerian. #NGR!