Yesterday, a tweet went viral.

A curious Canadian citizen asked a question on X after observing Nigerians celebrate their new passports with elaborate photo shoots and excited captions.

His post read:

“No group celebrates Western citizenship like Nigerians. They make a spectacle of it. Is Nigeria really that unlivable?”

It is a fair question. It is not meant to be mean-spirited. It's just a curiosity many outsiders share because the Nigerian experience with migration is complex. The celebrations often appear extravagant, even theatrical. The outfits are coordinated. Families are dressed to impress. The captions tell long stories. The pride is palpable.

To an outsider, it might look like Nigerians are rejoicing because they’ve reached paradise. But that's not the real story.

Most Nigerians aren't celebrating the West. They are celebrating a sense of relief.

They are celebrating a life where basic things finally function. Where the rules are clear. Where children can grow up without fear. Where their money maintains its value. Where the government doesn't turn daily life into a struggle for survival.

The celebrations aren't about the West being flawless. They reflect an escape from a system that exhausts its own people.

Yet this explanation alone is too simplistic. To grasp why these ceremonies go viral, we must explore the psychology, economy, and culture behind the citizenship celebration trend.

Nigerians Celebrate Milestones Loudly

Before we discuss hardship or migration pressures, we need to recognize a simple truth: Nigerians love to celebrate.

Birthdays become elaborate photo shoots. Graduations transform into big family gatherings. Thanksgiving turns into productions. Weddings feel like grand festivals.

Nigerians express joy in vivid ways. It’s a way of saying, “I made it through something.”

Now, picture a country where getting a visa feels like winning the lottery. Imagine a situation where the journey from submitting a passport application to receiving citizenship can stretch over years filled with anxiety, rejections, and expenses.

Naturally, people will celebrate it loudly. It's not a casual achievement. For many, it signals the end of uncertainty.

While Westerners often see citizenship as just a bureaucratic step, Nigerians view it as a rebirth.

The Celebration Is Really About Safety

What Nigerians are celebrating isn't the West; it’s the stability that Western passports provide.

To fully understand this, you need to know the life they come from.

In a country where food prices can double from Friday to Monday. In a nation where people base their entire lives around generators because the national power supply is unreliable. In a place where inflation feels like a thief in the night. In a society where insecurity impacts every class and region.

When Nigerians gain citizenship elsewhere, they’re not just getting a passport. They’re gaining:

• Legal protection.

• Reliable healthcare.

• Employment rights.

• A currency that retains its value.

• A system that, no matter its flaws, has structure.

Imagine spending decades in an environment where the economy can collapse before elections and salaries can lose value overnight. Now envision waking up in a place where everything operates on a schedule.

That is what they are celebrating.

“Scott, you won't really understand. But I can tell you that escaping from Nigeria for a professional is like a bird released from a cage. The country has killed many dreams and aspirations. He is celebrating a level playing ground. He can now fly, soar and excel.” one Nigerian X user commented.

It’s not about idolizing the West. It’s about finally living in a system that doesn’t battle you every single day.

Citizenship Represents an End to Uncertainty

For many Nigerians, migration is not just about travel. It represents a complete change in destiny.

A visa means a chance for a better life. Permanent residence means stability. Citizenship means a predictable future.

These are significant achievements.

Many Nigerians abroad face challenges such as:

• Nursing conversion courses.

• Expensive student visas.

• Part-time jobs.

• Harsh winters.

• Homesickness.

• Overwork.

• Constant fears of deportation if things go wrong.

Years of hard work and adjustment lead to that final citizenship ceremony.

So when they finally stand before a flag and take an oath, the celebration is not vanity. It’s a triumph.

The photos and captions are not exaggerations. They are proof of a silent personal battle.

Westerners may see it as ordinary, but Nigerians see it as a powerful arrival.

There Is Also Grief Behind the Celebration

Now, here’s what often goes unspoken.

Behind many Nigerian citizenship photos lies deep grief. For many, the choice to migrate wasn't about ambition; it was about survival.

It involves the heartache of leaving parents behind. The emotional strain of watching your home country decline from a distance. The loneliness of starting anew in a culture that doesn’t get your humor. The fear of losing your language and roots. The realization that your children won’t be fully Nigerian.

Citizenship represents freedom, but it also signifies loss.

If Nigerians celebrate loudly, part of the reason is that the journey was hard. Happiness feels more profound when you understand what it costs?.

So, Is Nigeria Unlivable?

The Twitter critic asked this question genuinely, but it misses the mark. Nigeria is not unlivable. It is simply unsustainable for many.

People want ordinary lives. Reliable electricity. Trustworthy currency. Safety. Proper public infrastructure. An opportunity to build wealth without battling corruption and unpredictability at every turn.

When a country can't consistently provide these things, people look elsewhere. And when they finally find it, they celebrate joyfully because silence cannot bear the weight of what they’ve endured.

The West Misreads Nigerian Joy

To Western viewers, Nigerian celebrations might seem excessive. To Nigerians, they represent normality. Joy is a language, and Nigerians express it loudly.

Citizenship ceremonies generate content not because Nigerians idolize Canada or the UK, but because they capture the moment they can finally breathe.

Western citizenship isn't regarded as a final destination but as a relief. Understanding this distinction is important.

What We Are Really Seeing Is a Story of Resilience

Every Nigerian celebrating citizenship carries a story:

• A tale of struggles at home.

• A narrative of opportunities pursued abroad.

• An identity stretched between continents.

• A mixture of hope and grief.

• A story of survival.

The photos, the flags, the outfits, the captions, these are not trivial. These are testaments. You don’t have to be Nigerian to grasp the significance of this celebration. You just need to understand the relief that comes from finding peace after enduring uncertainty for too long.

This is why Nigerians celebrate Western citizenship so exuberantly. Home is worthless. The West is not flawless. But the journey out was challenging, and the prospect ahead finally feels bright.

To them, that is worth capturing. Worth remembering. Worth celebrating.

Every time.