Nwafor David
The role of citizens in reshaping the nation
Growth is the intrinsic desire of every individual, family, state and nation. The relentless pursuit of moving from good to better. Consider the joy of watching a child take their very first steps or hearing him call you ‘Daddy’ for the first time. Progress is sweet. Yet, when a nation turned 66 years old suffers from severely stunted growth, it becomes undeniably clear that a vital link is missing. At 66, a man is old enough to be a grandfather. The fundamental question, therefore, is not merely how Nigeria can move forward, but what sustainable actions we must institute if we truly intend to overcome this staggering stagnation plaguing the nation.
Nigeria is a country greatly endowed with vast natural resource, human capital, expansive fertile land, and enormous natural gas reserves. According to research, Nigeria holds the 8th largest natural gas reserves globally and ranks 1st in Africa. A single resource capable of generating uninterrupted power nationwide. Our soil holds valuable mineral deposits such as gold, lithium, zinc, tantalite, bitumen, and iron ore across locations like Ore, Osun, Kogi, Ebonyi, and Nasarawa, with a collective value estimated in hundreds of billions of dollars. In terms of fertile land, Nigeria boasts over 34 million hectares capable of cultivating high-yield cash crops like cocoa, oil palm, and grains. Furthermore, Nigeria holds the world’s second-largest deposit of bitumen. An estimated 42 billion barrels spanning Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, and Edo States. In crude oil, Nigeria ranks between 10th and 13th globally, boasting over 37.01 billion barrels in proven reserves.
These resources ought to translate into substantial revenue generation, modern energy infrastructure, and refined domestic fuel. Why, then, are Nigerian citizens languishing in hardship? Why does a nation possess such extraordinary wealth yet suffer from crippling economic infrastructure, administrative failures, pervasive corruption, and a decay in core integrity?
Whenever the subject of national governance and development arises, the default response is to lay total blame at the feet of the government. But who is the government? As Theodore Roosevelt aptly said, we are the government, you and I. Consequently, whenever we critique the government, we must acknowledge our own collective contribution to the status quo.
This is not to dismiss the fundamental reality that poor leadership has crippled our nation. Prominent figures such as the late Professor Chinua Achebe, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Peter Obi have consistently highlighted this crisis. In his book, The Trouble with Nigeria, Chinua Achebe says:
‘The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership”
Yet, beyond the failure of leadership, there lies a critical dimension we must examine if Nigeria is to spread its wings and reclaim its rightful title as the true Giant of Africa.
Why Must Nigerian Citizens Rise up to Build Our Nation Themselves?
We have waited decades for the leadership of the country to rescue us. We have protested, cried, fought, and called out political officeholders, yet our pleas fall on deaf ears. Instead of self-correction, governance continues to inflict pain upon the very citizens it is sworn to protect.
Some politicians engage in corruption, embezzle public funds, perpetrate fraud and display insensitivity towards the security, welfare and development of the citizens. They neglect their core responsibility to create jobs, secure lives and prioritizing personal gains over public service.
The above mention attitude of some public office holders clearly demonstrate that the future of the nation no longer rests in the hands of the political elite; it rests in the hands of the people. Power does not belong to the throne; it belongs to the people.
Consider the human cost of this institutional failure:
According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths worldwide.
Over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty, 82 million lack access to electricity, and 18.3 million children remain out of school.
For decades, a major oil-producing nation failed to maintain or have a single functional owned refinery. It was only recently that a private individual, Aliko Dangote, completed a mega-refinery. Does it mean the so-called Giant of Africa lacked the institutional capacity to build one?
Regrettably, public administration in Nigeria often treats basic human rights as political bargaining or games. Recovered loot is mostly mismanaged, while fundamental amenities like electricity, durable roads, and clean water are deliberately withheld only to be used for campaigns. If they provide basic things for the masses, what will they use for the next election campaign? What a corrupt mindset. Meanwhile, these are basic civic entitlements, not privileges to be begged for. If the state cannot or will not serve its citizens, we must take full ownership of our destiny.
A particularly troubling reality resides within Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 (comprising Sections 13 to 24), which outlines the political, social, economic, cultural, and developmental duties of the state toward its citizens. However, by virtue of Section 6(6)(c) of the very same Constitution, this entire chapter is rendered non-justiciable. In constitutional law, this means that political promises regarding economic welfare, social development, quality education, healthcare, and security cannot be enforced in court. Citizens cannot sue the government for failing to deliver on basic socio-economic rights.
We are, in essence, our own messiahs. No external force or foreign nation will rescue us; foreign powers remain strictly focused on their own national interests.
If Nigeria is to rise tomorrow, here are the essential steps we as citizens must take:
Re-orientation and Mindset Transformation
We have been conditioned to believe that Nigeria is irredeemably corrupt, leading many to assume that nothing good can emerge from our borders. If this nation is to rise, every citizen must actively stop de-marketing our country and begin seeing our collective potential beyond our immediate environment. No individual or nation rises above their self-perception. It is not our faults that we are born here. We did not choose Nigeria, but it will be our fault if we allow present circumstances or single story from people to define us.
We should know that international headlines have long painted an unbalanced narrative of our identity. Forgetting that beyond crude oil and mineral wealth, Nigeria is rich in other natural resources, cultural heritage, and wildlife reserves:
Examples abound:
Natural Landscape & Heritage: The Ogbunike Caves (Anambra), Idanre Hills (Ondo), Obudu Mountain Resort (Cross River), Ikogosi Warm Springs (Ekiti), and the UNESCO-listed Sukur Cultural Landscape (Adamawa).
Game Reserves & National Parks: Yankari Game Reserve (Bauchi), Cross River National Park, Kainji Lake National Park (Niger/Kwara), and Gashaka-Gumti National Park (Taraba/Adamawa).
Cascading Waterfalls: Farin Ruwa (Nasarawa), Erin-Ijesha / Olumirin (Osun), Gurara (Niger), Agbokim (Cross River), Awhum (Enugu), and Owu (Kwara).
Coastlines & Islands: Ibeno Beach (Akwa Ibom), Tarkwa Bay and Ilashe Island (Lagos), La Campagne Tropicana (Lagos), and Finima Beach on Bonny Island (Rivers).
It is exaggeration or hyperbolic myth that Nigeria is the most corrupt, religious, or dangerous nation on Earth:
In Corruption: Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks Nigeria around 142nd out of 180 countries. Nations such as Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela, North Korea, Equatorial Guinea, and Haiti rank lower.
Religious Diversity: According to the Pew Research Center’s Global Diversity & Religiousness Index, Nigeria ranks 34th globally due to its balance between Christianity, Islam, and indigenous beliefs. it is not the most religious country on Earth. Statisense data tracking and research agency confirmed that even in Christianity, United State and Brazil has more churches compared to Nigeria.
Global Peace Index: The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) ranks Nigeria 147th out of 163 countries on the Global Peace Index, with nations like Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Somalia, and the DRC facing far higher levels of instability.
Reclaiming our national dignity begins with recognizing our assets, patronizing local industries, supporting ourselves, traveling within states in our country, and telling our authentic story to the world.
Stand Together and Elect Competent Leadership
We must refuse to let ethnic chauvinism, religious bigotry, and political propaganda divide the country. Tribalism and religious sentiment are the primary tools utilized by political elites to divide and rule.
When choosing leaders, we must look beyond tribe, region, and religion. We must evaluate candidates strictly on competency, character, integrity, and verifiable track records. What solutions do they offer? What have they accomplished previously? Rather than constantly asking what our nation can give us, let us ask what we can give our nation the way Abraham Lincoin told Americans. The greatest gift we can offer Nigeria is electing leaders of high moral standing, transparency, and accountability.
Furthermore, we must reject political apathy. Staying away from the polls only guarantees that corrupt elements will continue to decide our collective future.
Uncompromising Personal Integrity
Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching. If Nigeria is to change, every citizen must personally eschew corruption. According to joint survey data from the UNODC and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), approximately 27 per cent of Nigerian adults who interacted with a public official in a 12-month period paid a bribe.
Economic hardship must never become an excuse for criminality or dishonest practices. Imagine the transformative impact if citizens collectively refused to offer or accept bribes, especially during election time. When voters reject monetary inducements, the true will of the people prevails. Let us not sell our birthrights and suffer later. We cannot demand accountability from leaders while practicing corruption in our daily lives. How do we treat people and our jobs? Let us not be a kettle calling the pot black.
Exposing Evil is Our Responsibility
Corruption and insecurity thrive in secrecy. While systemic failures of the leadership of the country contribute to crime. People within affected communities often aid these unknown gunmen. Citizens must actively expose kidnappers, fraudsters, violent criminals, and corrupt acts by reporting them to trustworthy authorities or channels.
Silence offers no protection. It only guarantees collective destruction. We cannot afford to mind our business while evil spreads next door. Most fake products in the market are produced by citizens who wish to make it by all means and this has led to terminal disease including higher records of kidney failures in the country. People are now afraid of what they eat. As the famous adage warns, ignoring evil next door only ensures that it will eventually come for you.
Training and Empowering the Next Generation
The greatness of every nation lies in her youth. Historically, Nigeria’s journey to independence in 1960 was driven by young people who travelled abroad for education. People like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief H.O Davies. These young visionaries spearheaded early nationalists organizing and drove the anti-colonial movement that won Nigeria’s independence. That is to say that education and capacity building remain our greatest catalysts for national liberation.
Individuals can partner with the Local government areas, geopolitical zones and organize innovation contests, scholarship funds, and tech bootcamps to empower bright young minds. Vocational and technical training in ICT, automation, industrial manufacturing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will drive economic independence in Nigeria. Let us stop waiting for government funds. This will bring economic independence. No country actually has independence until they are economically free.
Conclusion
These steps above represent a roadmap for civic action. Citizens own the nation; citizens are the true government.
Power does not belong to the throne. It resides in the hands of the people. By embracing re-orientation, unity, absolute integrity, exposing evil, and youth empowerment, the citizens of Nigeria can finally bridge the missing link and rebuild a nation worthy of our pride. A new Nigeria is possible.
