Tinubu to Mark 66th Independence Anniversary in Lagos

Kehinde Adeleye

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will spend Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day anniversary in Lagos on October 1, rather than in Abuja, where the Federal Government had planned a low-key celebration.

The President is expected to arrive in Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, following the conclusion of his extended working vacation in Europe. According to the Presidency, Tinubu will remain in Lagos through the Independence Day celebrations before returning to Abuja later in the week.

His media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu will attend the premiere of MKO, a documentary honouring the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, at the National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, on October 1.

The documentary chronicles the June 12, 1993 presidential election, its annulment and the pro-democracy struggle that followed. The premiere is expected to form part of the activities marking the 66th Independence Anniversary.

Tinubu is also expected to deliver his Independence Day broadcast from Lagos as Nigerians mark the anniversary. The Federal Government had earlier confirmed that the celebration would be low-key, with the President’s nationwide address scheduled for October 1.

According to Onanuga, the President will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates while in Lagos as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue.

The decision to centre the President’s Independence Day activities in Lagos means the commercial capital will host some of the key events marking this year’s anniversary, including the documentary premiere and the President’s national broadcast.

Tinubu’s return to Lagos also brings his extended European working vacation to an end. He left Nigeria on August 30 and subsequently travelled from London to Paris, where he combined his vacation with official engagements.