On the night of 30 September to 1 October 1960, the Federation of Nigeria formally attained independence from the United Kingdom, an event extensively covered by the Daily Times of Nigeria, the nation’s leading newspaper of record. This transition followed the Nigeria Independence Act, passed by the British Parliament on 29 July 1960, which ended colonial rule and recognised Nigeria as a fully sovereign nation within the Commonwealth.
The official midnight ceremony took place at the Lagos Race Course, a vast ceremonial ground on Lagos Island later redeveloped and renamed Tafawa Balewa Square in the early 1970s. At exactly midnight, the Union Jack was lowered and the green-white-green Nigerian flag was raised, marking the symbolic birth of a new nation.
The British Crown was represented by Princess Alexandra of Kent, who delivered Queen Elizabeth II’s message and formally proclaimed Nigeria’s new status. The Nigerian government was led by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who continued as Prime Minister under the new Independence Constitution, which retained Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State, represented locally by the Governor-General, Sir James Robertson.
The atmosphere that night was both solemn and jubilant. Contemporary accounts and British Pathé newsreels captured the orderly crowds, the precision of the military parade, and the emotion that accompanied the flag-raising. The ceremony symbolised both the joy of liberation and the weight of responsibility that independence brought.
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The Daily Times Independence Edition
Among the leading chroniclers of that night was The Daily Times of Nigeria, one of the nation’s most influential newspapers since its founding in 1926. By 1960, it had become a national institution and a powerful medium shaping public discourse and national identity.
Its 1 October 1960 edition documented the flag-raising ceremony, official speeches, and celebrations across Lagos. Surviving copies contain photographs of Princess Alexandra, Prime Minister Balewa, and the midnight proceedings. Although exact front-page headlines vary across surviving archives, the themes were clear and consistent: sovereignty, unity, and responsibility.
Balewa’s Independence Address, quoted extensively by the Daily Times, expressed gratitude to Britain for guiding the constitutional process, affirmed faith in the country’s future, and urged Nigerians to approach freedom with discipline and tolerance.
Editorials in the same edition framed independence not as an ending but as a beginning, a call to nation-building and collective responsibility.
Political Context and the Road to Independence
Nigeria’s independence was achieved through a gradual constitutional evolution rather than a violent revolution.
- The Richards Constitution (1946) introduced regional councils and a central legislative body.
- The Macpherson Constitution (1951) expanded electoral representation and political participation.
- The Lyttleton Constitution (1954) established a federal system granting greater regional autonomy.
By the late 1950s, the path to self-rule was well advanced:
the Western and Eastern Regions achieved internal self-government in 1957, the Northern Region followed in 1959, and the federal elections of 1959 paved the way for full independence under a parliamentary system.
Throughout these years, the Daily Times reported each milestone, covering debates in regional assemblies, constitutional conferences, and editorials that urged compromise, federal unity, and national cooperation.
Coverage and Symbolism
The Independence Edition of the Daily Times reflected the blend of solemnity and celebration that defined the moment.
Its articles and editorials captured the pride of ordinary Nigerians and the symbolism of the flag-raising. Pages were filled with messages of goodwill and congratulatory advertisements from local and international businesses, expressing optimism for Nigeria’s future.
Beyond reportage, the newspaper played a nation-building role. Its editorials called for unity, justice, and development, reminding readers that independence would only be meaningful if it translated into progress.
In this way, the Daily Times helped frame Nigeria’s earliest postcolonial narrative, a vision of federal identity that transcended ethnicity and regionalism.
The press thus served as a bridge between regions and as an instrument for collective self-definition. Through balanced reporting and responsible editorial guidance, the Daily Times emerged as both a record of history and a guide to national consciousness.
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The Early Years of Independence
Following independence, Nigeria remained a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth.
Queen Elizabeth II was represented by Sir James Robertson, who was succeeded by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as Governor-General on 16 November 1960.
Three years later, with the Republican Constitution of 1963, Nigeria severed its final constitutional ties with the Crown. Azikiwe became the nation’s first President, while Balewa continued as Prime Minister until 1966.
The Daily Times continued to document these transitions, covering parliamentary sessions, federal-regional relations, and Nigeria’s expanding role in the Commonwealth and United Nations.
Its editorials during the First Republic reaffirmed the newspaper’s longstanding values of press freedom, civic duty, and national unity, the same principles that guided its Independence coverage.
Legacy
Original copies of the Daily Times Independence Edition are now rare and prized historical artefacts, preserved in the National Archives of Nigeria, university libraries, and private collections.
For historians and researchers, they serve as primary sources capturing how Nigerians perceived independence, not merely as a political event, but as a moment of collective rebirth.
The images, speeches, and editorials of that edition remain enduring symbols of optimism and unity. Each year, as Nigeria celebrates Independence Day, the memory of that publication endures, a reminder of the ideals that defined 1960: freedom, unity, and progress.
Author’s Note
This article presents a verified historical reconstruction of Nigeria’s 1960 Independence Day and the Daily Times coverage, based on primary and authoritative sources.
It excludes unverifiable details such as advertisement layouts or guest lists, focusing instead on confirmed facts, the legal independence act, Lagos midnight ceremony, and the roles of Balewa, Azikiwe, and Princess Alexandra. The Daily Times edition of 1 October 1960 remains a landmark in Nigerian journalism, an enduring chronicle of national transformation and shared aspiration. Revisiting it today underscores how the press helped define the narrative of Nigeria’s entry into sovereignty.
References:
Nigeria Independence Act 1960, UK Parliament (29 July 1960).
British Pathé Newsreel (1960): Princess Alexandra at Nigerian Independence Ceremony, Lagos Race Course.
The New Yorker (1960): “Though Tribe and Tongue May Differ,” feature on Nigeria’s independence celebrations.
National Archives of Nigeria: Daily Times (1 October 1960 Edition).
