Optiva Chairman Urges Nigerians to Turn Freedom into Opportunity at 66
As Nigeria marks 66 years since independence, Franklin Nechi, chairman of Optiva Capital Partners, has called on citizens to recommit themselves to building a country where freedom, enterprise, opportunity and human potential can thrive.
In a goodwill message issued on Thursday to mark Independence Day, Nechi said the 66th anniversary offered a chance not only to look back on the journey since 1960 but also to weigh the duty of the present generation to shape the country that those coming after will inherit.
"Independence is more than the absence of colonial rule. It is the freedom and capacity of a people to determine their destiny, create opportunity, build prosperity and give every generation a reason to believe in its country," he said.
Nechi described Nigeria's people as its most valuable asset, pointing to their enterprise, creativity, resilience and capacity to succeed even in challenging conditions.
He said Nigerians have shown time and again that with the right environment they can compete and excel anywhere in the world. "Our entrepreneurs are building businesses, our professionals are leading institutions, our young people are creating technology and our creative talents are shaping global culture. Wherever Nigerians find opportunity, they demonstrate what is possible."
Global citizens, still rooted at home
Nechi argued that Nigeria's ties with the rest of the world should not be seen as a rejection of the country. As head of an investment immigration firm that assists Africans with international mobility and investment prospects, he said Optiva's approach rests on the conviction that Nigerians can stay globally connected without losing their connection to home.
"Global mobility should not mean abandoning Nigeria. It should mean creating bridges between Nigeria and the world, bridges through which knowledge, investment, partnerships, technology and opportunities can flow in both directions."
He noted that Nigerians living and working abroad continue to play a significant role in the country's economic and social life, bringing knowledge, capital, expertise and international networks to national development.
Turning to Optiva's 2026 thought-leadership theme, 'From Access to Legacy: Building the African Family's Global Future,' Nechi said the same idea could guide nation-building. "Wealth must ultimately create impact. Access must create opportunity. And opportunity must create a legacy."
He encouraged successful Nigerians to look past personal accumulation and consider how their businesses, investments, skills and influence could help build a stronger society.
According to him, nation-building is not the work of government alone but also of businesses, professionals, entrepreneurs, families and citizens. "Every Nigerian who creates a job, builds a business, educates a child, mentors a young person, develops an innovation, pays taxes responsibly or invests in the future is contributing to the Nigeria we want."
The Nigeria owed to the next generation
Nechi said Independence Day should also push Nigerians to think beyond the current generation. He asked them to consider whether the country being built today will offer future generations more opportunities than those available to earlier ones. "The real measure of our independence will not only be how far we have travelled in 66 years, but what kind of country we leave behind after our time."
He called for greater focus on education, entrepreneurship, innovation, infrastructure, healthcare, economic opportunity and an environment in which young Nigerians can develop their talents and compete globally. He said the country's vast human capital is an opportunity that must be deliberately nurtured.
"Our young people should not merely be the future of Nigeria. They should be participants in building Nigeria today."
As the country celebrates its 66th Independence anniversary, Nechi urged Nigerians to keep faith in the nation's potential while accepting that patriotism must be shown through action. "We have every reason to believe in Nigeria. But belief must be accompanied by responsibility. The Nigeria of our dreams will not be built by hope alone. It will be built by people who choose every day to create, invest, serve, innovate and contribute."
He ended by congratulating Nigerians at home and abroad on the anniversary. "As we celebrate 66 years of independence, let us remember that our greatest legacy will not be what we accumulated for ourselves, but the possibilities we created for those who come after us."
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