Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day on Twitter: The hashtags, messages & wishes

On Saturday, October 1, Nigeria celebrated her 62nd Independence Day with a range of reactions from Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora. People across the world took to social media platforms like Twitter to celebrate the day and remember the labours of National heroes, past and present. This year’s independence anniversary had a different air to it and all the reactions were captured on Twitter.

Trending Voices and Hashtags
The Independence Day conversations on Twitter began with Nigerians providing hilarious commentary on trending videos of paratroopers from the Nigerian military training ahead of October 1st. The anniversary celebration was an eye-catching event which featured parades by Security Services and a wonderful display by the students at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria.

As festivities and celebrations kicked into full gear, Twitter was awash with hashtags like #HappyIndependenceDayNigeria, which trended in the early hours of the day, and #NigeriaAt62, which trended through the day. Many people tagged their posts with the hashtags; a lot of which were creatively themed photos and videos which showed off their pride in Nigerian greens and whites. In this Tweet, former #BBNaija S7 housemate Beauty, was one of many who showed off their Independence Day style on the TL.

Embed: https://twitter.com/beautyetukura/status/1576193345051045888?s=20&t=9_4zRmUAw2whGi5AHLUJzg
Live Coverage on Twitter
There were a ton of Tweets from The Eagle Square in Abuja, where the Federal Government held the official Independence Day ceremony. News outlets like Punch were among those who put out Tweets showing off the colourful range of dignitaries in attendance, as well as this Thread with highlights from the address by President Muhammadu Buhari to the nation.
Embed: https://twitter.com/MobilePunch/status/1576242424271159296?s=20&t=bUdfEXh0Peueu8QFAmgHCA
Other media outlets also shared snippets of the anniversary celebration on Twitter. Channels TV posted pictures, highlighting the beauty and glam of the celebrations. Bashir Ahmad, Special Assistant on Digital Communications to President Mohammad Buhari, also posted videos from Eagle Square.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo commemorated the day by Tweeting a photo of himself looking at a framed wall of past leaders – the Tweet received a lot of attention and sparked much conversation on Twitter.
Embed: https://twitter.com/ProfOsinbajo/status/1576109055617421312?s=20&t=n2FJ4VzIRmIPV0hnrU9Org
The feeling of patriotism is always at an all-time high on Independence Day. To show their undying love for Nigeria, celebrities took to Twitter to celebrate with their fans on Independence Day, and to post pictures and videos in the symbolic colours of the Nigerian flag. Artists such as Tiwa Savage were among those who celebrated the motherland.

Embed: https://twitter.com/TiwaSavage/status/1576167686551179264
Others like Mohammad Jammal, Don Jazzy, ex-big brother Naija star Mercy and Ahmed Musa put out celebratory Tweets, and a wonderful video by Maria, also an ex-Big Brother Naija star, had #TwitterNaija in a frenzy.
International support and other highlights
Other highlights which absolutely delighted Nigerians on Twitter were the celebratory Tweets from popular football clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Everton, and others commemorating the national day. There were messages of solidarity from other nations, including Saudi Arabia & Greece. The Nigerian embassy in Greece Tweeted congratulations to all Nigerians home and abroad on the anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence.

Embed: https://twitter.com/NigeriainGreece/status/1575813179170443264
Finally, #TwitterNaija summed it up nicely with the “The flag, The face” trend, showcasing the beauty of Nigerians all around the world.
Embed:

https://twitter.com/MrD1by/status/1576212495572029441