As the nation turns 63, there isn’t much to celebrate, considering the sufferings of the masses.

The cost of living continues to rise, just like Fela Anikulapo Kuti sang in one of his songs. Speaking of the Kuti family, we pay homage to what we call Independence Heroes, those who fought for our independence. Fela’s mother, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, was part of the earliest delegation that went to England to demand Nigeria’s independence. We also profile others, including Herbert Macaulay, Obafemi Awolowo and Anthony Enahoro.

Vintage décor always gives a home an elegant look, which we discuss in our page about home décor. From bathtubs to wooden tiles, we look at vintage items you can place in your home to give it that stylish and sophisticated finish.

When it comes to cocktails, I can’t get enough of them, whether it’s a strawberry daiquiri or an old fashioned. Bon Appetite shares some cocktail recipes this week. We hope you enjoy them.

For some people, Mondays aren’t their best days; they get low-spirited about going to work. We offer some tips for putting an end to this problem. Mondays are like every other day of the week, so if you go to bed early the night before and do not tire yourself out during the weekend, you will look up to Mondays.

These tips should help you feel better about Mondays. We reviewed the new Netflix movie The Black Book. The acting is stellar; they had the right music for different scenes, and the recording and audio were crisp. I won’t say much about the movie besides Richard Mofe Damijo outdid himself. You have to see it if you haven’t.

Until next week, enjoy your read.