Lagos — Independent Nigeria is forty years old and many will be celebrating the nation's arrival at an age that traditionally marks the shift from young adulthood to maturity. But is it a Happy Birthday? AllAfrica put that question to six ordinary Nigerians.

It is a case of 'future postponed' for Ikechukwu Alphonsus Nzekwe, 38, unemployed since 1994. Given his age, he should have been married by now. "But this is a country where young men are afraid of getting married because of the situation in the country," he says.

He has established a relationship with a lady, but asked about a wedding date, he says: "I am taking my time because of the financial aspect of it." By his estimate, he needs at least 200,000 naira (about $2,000) in his bank account, for him to talk meaningfully about getting married.

A graduate in the Art and design, specializing in interior decoration, Nzekwe says he has been unemployed for six years since his first job packed up in 1994 when the private company for which he worked folded. Since then, he has been eking out a living "doing things on my own. But it's not a regular income," he explains.

Nigeria, he says, has does have cause to celebrate it's 40th independence anniversary, particularly because of the return to democracy in May last year, after 16 unbroken years of military dictatorship. "It's an achievement because democracy is what the world is looking for," he says, blaming the military for "scattering the economy."

Beyond this, however, he says the occasion calls for "sober reflection". After 40 years of independence, he says, life in Nigeria is "deteriorating everyday, instead of improving."