Nigeria, a Peaceful Nation

Read the third-place essay of the 2022 New Voices Essay Competition.

Written by Taiwo Akinsanya

Jan 13, 2023

On Security and Environmental Development.TAIWO AKINSANYA / THE REPUBLIC

6:21 pm, 14 May 2050

It is Sunday, the evening sun is gloriously warm and gentle, a light breeze caressed the palm trees in the front yard, making it sway gently, it wrapped around me like a lover’s embrace. The sunset is beautiful, the sky is bright orange with sparse grey clouds drifting lazily, and the world is awash in sepia. It would make a pretty picture, this sight.

I am sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of my house, my habit these evenings to get away from excessive screen time, as advised by my doctor but also it was an opportunity to appreciate the serenity. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath.

There was a time when I thought we wouldn’t have this for much longer due to the deterioration of the climate but then, here we are, thirty years later. I love my house; it is a cosy two-storey, designed in the old Victorian style, I thought I wanted a change from the ultra-modern housing towers that have dominated this city. It has a wide compound covered completely with carpet grass except for the concrete walkways and has tall palm trees along the perimeter of the fence. It is my pride and joy.

You’ve Reached Your Limit of Free Reading.

The Republic is a Nigerian media-tech company dedicated to explaining our time—through deeply reported journalism on power, culture and society.

Ad-Free Reading Experience

Focused consumption without interruptions.

Unlimited Access to Exclusive Archives

Years of reporting at your fingertips.

In-Depth Deep-dive Reporting

Long-form journalism that matters.

Create a free account to continue reading this month and access more of our work.

About the Author

Taiwo Akinsanya

is the third prize winner of the 2022 New Voices Essay Competition. She is also a student of University of Lagos.

Comments

SHOP THE REPUBLIC

Kidnapped From the House of God

What began as a Tuesday evening service at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, turned into a live-streamed kidnapping that dragged 38 worshippers into the forest and left three people dead. Nearly 40 days after the bandit attack, Pelumi Salako visits Eruku to speak with survivors.

—March 22, 2026

The Bombing That Changed Abuja Forever

In 2011, a Boko Haram bombing at the United Nations House in Abuja claimed the lives of 26 people. The incident changed Nigeria’s capital city and the lives of its residents forever.

—March 22, 2026

What Endures in Borno Are the People

Boko Haram terrorism fits into a longer pattern of insurgency in Borno. Civilians survive through collective resistance, negotiation and uneasy compliance, and ‘peace’ in wartime is often shaped by tragic trade-offs.

—March 22, 2026

Surviving Boko Haram

Aisha, Juliana and Hauwa escaped Boko Haram captivity, but their freedom has taken longer to arrive.

—September 7, 2025

Driving Through Life as a Fully Veiled Muslim Woman

Mutia’ah Badrudeen documents how her decades of driving, as a fully veiled Muslim Yoruba woman across multiple countries, reveal prevailing social ideas about gender, identity and belonging.

Subscribe to our free newsletter.

What’s your e-mail?

You’re in — welcome to The Republic

Complete your onboarding

Read

Connect

Apps

More

Read

Connect

Apps

More

Nigeria, a Peaceful Nation