Ahead of Nigeria’s 60th anniversary on October 1, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday unveiled the logo and theme for the country’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.
President Buhari who disclosed that the word, “TOGETHER,” is the single-minded proposition around which the entire anniversary celebration would revolve, also unveiled the Diamond Jubilee anniversary logo during the Federal Executive Council Meeting (FEC) held at the Council Chambers, Aso Villa on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
He said: “Celebrating sixty years of independence really calls for pomp and pageantry, but the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced all nations in the world to think and act differently, has also foisted on us the imperative of a low-keyed celebration.
“Operating within the limitations placed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we created an internet challenge for Nigerians to make a choice from a set of four pre-selected logos that would appropriately define the theme. Of these four options, Nigerians from all walks of life participated in making a choice and I am happy to let you know that the logo I would be unveiling is a product of choice from the Nigerian people.”
President Buhari added that, “I am informed that the selected option depicts our togetherness, a country of over 200 million people whose natural talent, grit and passion glitter like the precious DIAMOND we are. This, to me, is a special appreciation to our most precious asset – our people. Everywhere you go, Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in Academia, Business, Innovation, Music, Movie, Entertainment, Fashion and culture.
“Furthermore, I am also made aware that the neatly encrusted Diamond on the Nigerian Map symbolizes our age of treasure, the worth of the Nigerian people with our sparkle to the admiration of the world. In the same vein, the pear green and dark green colours should respectively remind us of our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as the abundant wealth inherent in our human capital and the richness of our land. All these properties make us unarguably the most prosperous black nation in the world and Africa’s largest economy.
“It is, therefore, with a deep feeling of national pride that I hereby announce to you, that TOGETHER shall be the theme of our Nation’s Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration. Our founding fathers, In spite of the differences in faith, tribe and tongue came TOGETHER to fight for Nigeria’s independence. This shall be a befitting tribute to the struggles of our heroes past.”
The selected logo which was one of the 15 options developed pro bono for the Federal Government by a consortium of marketing communications and productions companies comprising Chain Reactions Nigeria, a leading Public Relations and Integrated Communications Consulting firm, The Temple Management Company, a talent and event management agency, and TBWA Africa, one of Africa’s leading advertising agencies.
The anniversary identity was crafted around imagery of a giant figure 60 superimposed on the Nigerian map with the figure zero comprising several glittering crystals into a giant sparkling diamond. The logo symbolises Nigeria’s treasured age, worth of our people and our land, together; and how we sparkle together, to the admiration of the world.
Giving the creative rationale behind the logo, the Lead Consultant for the consortium and Managing Director, Chain Reactions Nigeria, Israel Jaiye Opayemi, said diamond is from the root word, “Adamas” which means invincible or unconquerable and enduring.
“These are the dominant traits of the Nigerian Spirit. We are invincible, unconquerable and enduring. The imagery of the diamond is in celebration of the resilience our people are known for. Diamonds are formed under pressures. It is a metaphor for how the Nigerian Spirit comes forth brilliantly under pressure,” he said.
Opayemi further explained that the logo is a celebration of the over 200 million Nigerian people whose natural talents, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are.
He said, “This is a special nod to our most precious asset, our people. It is etched in our DNA. Everywhere you go, Nigerians sparkle like diamonds in the pack; we are colourful people.”
Nigeria became independent from Britain on October 1, 1960. The 60th-anniversary celebration is an 11-month event featuring several commemorative activities.
