Nigerian Manitobans celebrate first flag raising at legislature for independence day

Nigerian Manitobans are celebrating a milestone and planning a party.

Tuesday is the 64th anniversary of Nigerian independence from British colonial rule, and for the first time, the West African country's flag will be raised for Celebration of Nigerian Independence Day at the Manitoba Legislative Building.

"I am just overwhelmed with excitement and with the sense of fulfilment," Vera Obehi Keyede, president of the Nigerian Association of Manitoba, said about the flag being raised.

"[It] reminds me of the victory the founding leaders of Nigeria started 64 years ago. Nigerian independence is a story of resilience," she told CBC Manitoba's Information Radio host Marcy Markusa.

"We are very hard-working people … and everywhere we go, we don't just stay there — we contribute, we make impacts. That [flag raising is] reminding us as a people that we will continue to make impacts and we will not relent in contributing our quarter to the province and to the city of Winnipeg."

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