“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Thomas Jefferson.

Tomorrow is Independence Day here in Nigeria, which, for most of us, entails the risk of losing:

• Your fingers to cheap fireworks
• Your most precious time to carnivals
• Your liver to bottles of champagne

All of which, as a red-blooded Nigerian, I support wholeheartedly.

But if you’re spending tomorrow celebrating the country’s independence, how about giving some attention to your own personal independence?

It might be independence from a day job, financial stress, or even a mindset that’s keeping you from making things happen. 

We Nigerians, keep whining about how we are not yet independent yet celebrate independence. We are deprived the freedom to expression, no fair election, the press do not have all the freedom they need to carry out  fair news, we cant walk freely on the streets without been harassed by SARs, Policemen, searching our phones without warrant and holding people captive for over 24 hours with no solid proof to back up their unnecessary claim, which is absolutely against crime law. We are being deprived of our rights to good Jobs even when we are qualified because of favouritism and plutocracy. Nigeria is still ruled by a society of people with great wealth and income_ PLUTARCHY.

Poverty has become a disease, because the voices of the poor are lost in deep oceans and ignored. It’s already stamped in this Era that whatever the poor contributes doesn’t count. Even in churches today, the rich are more honoured than the poor. Plutocracy is still practised. This has led every ass to working out day and night, our upcoming youths who can’t survive this disease, become impostors and swindle men and women to give out their hard earned money for no just cause. 

We all are striving to get to the top so our voices can be heard. Most people would say they do not celebrate independence for this cause. If you are not independent yourself, you can’t break free. We want to be celebrated too. So here are 3 ways you can celebrate your independence.

1. Never stop learning

It’s not always about learning the latest and greatest.

Sometimes it’s taking the classic and works in your field and translating them for a new audience.

In today’s economic and technical environment, the moment you stop learning, you’re roadkill.

It’s about staying curious and keeping your mental playfulness.

if you never add anything new to your intellectual mix, your content is going to suffer.Spend a little less time on the trivial stuff and a little more time educating yourself.

Knowledge is your greatest asset. It can’t be stolen or confiscated. It sets your intellect free.

And when your mind is free, the rest of it is just a bunch of beautiful fireworks.

 2. Create a revenue stream

For most of us, freedom and independence tend to boil down to having enough money coming in the door.

It’s a lot easier to say goodbye to your nightmare boss or your crummy living situation when you’ve got some steady income rolling in.

And there are improvements you can make or simple products you can build in the next two months to bring in more revenue.

The hardest part is getting started.

You can start small and once you’re up and running, you can tweak and expand your offering to make it better and bring in more income.

Don’t let perfectionism slow you down. There’s no better way to see what works than taking action.

3. SKETCH OUT A PLAN YOU CAN WORK IN LINE WITH, IN BUILDING YOUR INDEPENDENCE. STOP WASTING YOUR TIME WHINING ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T. 

Happy Independence Day Nigeria!

Nigeria we hail thee

Through the recession, concessions

Gruff and tough economic changes

Nigerians have remained unwavering

Through thick and thin

We are standing firm.

Nigerians, a people strong, blessed and versatile.

Nigeria, home of the resilient.

Tomorrow, I wish the freedom we often take for granted for everyone everywhere on Earth, especially those places where people still live with political bonds that are the result of the nothing more than the circumstances of their birth, where government provides no greater security than no government at all, and who are still in bonds they have not yet broken but most assuredly will, as assuredly as man is endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Happy first!