By Dr. Austin Orette
This is not an endorsement of any political leader in Nigeria. It is simply an observation as Nigerians have developed a culture of endless complaints, mostly directed at leaders. Complaining has almost become a coping mechanism. But when we look closely, it begins to resemble a quarrel among accomplices. It is like a robbery gang blaming their leader for driving off with the loot, while they are stranded and powerless. They cannot call the police, so they quarrel among themselves while secretly hoping to be the driver in the next heist.
That is what our politics and public debates look like—constant finger-pointing at leadership while ignoring the corruption and cruelty that ordinary citizens also perpetuate. Everyone wants good leadership, but very few want to be good citizens.
Everyday Wickedness in Daily Life
The people who complain about Nigeria’s hardships are the same people who, when given a little power, become oppressors in their small domains. Whether it is a trader who cheats customers, a police officer at a checkpoint, a customs officer at the port, or a clerk in a government office—many use their positions to exploit and inflict pain.
This behavior has become cultural. Instead of showing brotherhood or empathy, many Nigerians take pride in making life difficult for others. At markets, at airports, at checkpoints, or in government offices, citizens are often extorted, humiliated, or abused. Productivity in many government agencies is measured not by service delivery, but by how much suffering they can impose.
For instance:
- Getting a driver’s license requires endless hurdles.
- Obtaining a passport is worse than applying for a visa abroad.
- Clearing goods at the Lagos ports feels like passing through the eye of a needle.
- Arriving at Lagos airport feels like walking into a den of touts rather than a national gateway.
These frustrations crush hope and discourage productivity. Many Nigerians simply abandon their businesses and goods to avoid harassment.
Citizens and Leaders: A Reflection of Each Other
We must recognize that leadership is a reflection of the people. When citizens lack discipline, ethics, and compassion, they reproduce the same qualities in their leaders. It is hypocritical to cry for good leadership while ordinary people perpetuate cruelty and dishonesty every day.
Imagine if:
- Police officers stopped harassing farmers bringing food to markets.
- Poultry workers stopped stealing eggs or poisoning chickens.
- Customs officers stopped delaying goods for bribes.
Food would be cheaper, businesses would thrive, inflation would drop, and jobs would be created. But when everyone is busy exploiting one another, the economy suffers.
The Real Issue is Productivity, Not the Dollar Rate
The exchange rate of the naira to the dollar is not the true measure of Nigeria’s economy. It reflects the lack of productivity of Nigerians. We produce very little but expect everything. Corruption and dishonesty destroy enterprises before they can grow. In such an environment, leadership becomes an extension of the people’s broken values.
A Call for Change
Nigeria’s problems cannot be solved by legislation alone. What we need is a moral and cultural renewal. We must remove the “logs in our eyes” before blaming leaders. We must learn self-love and community care, so that cruelty and extortion no longer define our interactions.
Good leadership will only emerge from good citizenship. Until Nigerians commit to honesty, empathy, and productivity in their everyday lives, they will continue to reproduce leaders who mirror their worst qualities.
Dr. Austin Orette writes from Houston, Texas.
