The Day the Lights Came On: Celebrating Independence in Ibadan

Listen to Interview

This interview captures the vibrant, hopeful atmosphere in Ibadan as Nigeria transitioned to self-rule. Chief Olusegun, then a young primary school teacher, recalls organizing community celebrations and the widespread, quiet sense of anticipation that preceded the midnight flag change. He details the communal joy and the feeling that a collective Nigerian identity was finally being born, focusing on the cultural and educational shifts rather than political machinations. It is a powerful account of a nation shedding its colonial past and embracing its future.

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Key Moment

The full, time-coded transcript focuses on Chief Olusegun’s personal timeline leading up to and immediately following October 1st. It includes details about changes to the school curriculum in 1959, specific community meetings held in his neighborhood, and personal recollections of conversations with his father about the transfer of power. (This field represents the full searchable text for researchers.)

 

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