President Bola Tinubu explained why the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day parade turned out to be a relief for him. He said the decision gave him time to rest, enjoy a proper breakfast and later attend the reopening of the renovated Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos. The Federal Government had earlier announced on Monday that the military parade scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, 2025, would not hold. On Wednesday evening, Tinubu arrived at the newly renovated arts centre, which was formerly called the National Arts Theatre. Tinubu said that the event brought a refreshing change from the usual pattern of Independence Day parades.