On every 1st of October, around 1.7 billion citizens wake up to a day of national celebration. A fraction of that figure live in a separate country about 11,000 km away. It is a day of pride for both Nigeria and China. For China, it marks the birth of the People’s Republic in 1949, while for Nigeria, it celebrates independence from the British colonial system in 1960. Two nations, one date, yet seven hours apart. When Beijing rises to the afternoon of October 1st, Abuja is only waking up to the morning light. That seven-hour gap is more than a difference in time; it is a lens through which we can reflect on the journeys of both nations, from 1960 to today, and consider the dimensions in which one has advanced ahead of the other. 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗲— Nigeria lies in West Africa around longitude 3°E to 15°E, with a central position near 10°E. By the logic of time zones, every 15° of longitude equals about one hour difference in solar time. This position puts Nigeria in the UTC+1 zone, w...