President Bola Tinubu may go into record as the first number one citizen to return to Lagos to mark Independence Day since the relocation of the capital city to Abuja.

The Independence Day was first held on October 1, 1960, when the Union Jack was lowered and replaced with Nigeria’s Green–White–Green flag.

At that inaugural event which held when Lagos was Nigeria’s capital city, Princess Alexandra of Kent who represented Queen Elizabeth II, presented the constitutional instruments of independence, while Azikiwe was sworn in as Governor-General.

Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa delivered a national address at that auspicious occasion which marked the country’s sovereignty.

After Nigeria’s capital was relocated to Abuja, virtually all leaders, military and civilian, have been marking the symbolic occasion in the capital city.

This year was not going to be an exception until Tinubu, an indigene of Lagos, decided otherwise.

Early signs that this year’s celebration would be marked outside Abuja were noticed after Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement on September 26, 2025.

While the opening line of the statement indicated that the president was in Lagos, the subsequent paragraphs were unclear.

The itinerary showed that Tinubu was to visit Imo on the last day of September, then commission the remodelled National Theatre, which has been renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

But the statement didn’t say if Tinubu would return to Abuja from Imo or would fly to Lagos for the commissioning after marking the historic occasion in Abuja.

However, by Monday, the cancellation of the Independence Day parade was announced. No key reason was given for this development.

The canceled military parade is a significant part of the Independence Day Celebration.

Before the announcement of the cancellation, some had thought the line-up of activities would go on under Vice-President Shettima, but as of the time this report was filed, the Vice President had not returned to the country from his trip to Germany.

Shettima had departed New York, where he represented Tinubu at the United Nations General Assembly, and headed for Germany.

Text of the speech of the president released by his media team showed it was read in Aso Rock, but the Independence Day celebration certainly goes beyond speech. It is usually accompanied with a whole lot of activities.

The absence of the usual parade and the schedule to commission projects in Lagos have therefore set this year’s celebration apart from all others in recent history.

For many, it rekindled memories of Nigeria’s earliest independence anniversaries when Lagos still served as the capital.

But for others, it raised questions about how future commemorations may be shaped by the personal choices of those in power.

What remains clear is that Tinubu’s “decision” has opened a new chapter into the narrative of Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations. (Daily Trust)