Recently, a self-proclaimed Nigerian patriot informed me of their plans for the upcoming Independence Day. As a concerned young Nigerian, wh...
Recently, a self-proclaimed Nigerian patriot informed me of their plans for the upcoming Independence Day. As a concerned young Nigerian, who seeks reasons for every celebration, action, and performance, I began questioning why anyone would celebrate a state deemed a "failed nation" by prominent political scientists.
I recalled an article written by Robert Rotberg and former American Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, addressed to a retired Nigerian General. In their article, The Giant of Africa is Failing (May 31, 2021), they expressed their concerns: "If a state's first obligation to those it governs is to provide for their security and maintain a monopoly on the use of violence, then Nigeria has failed, even if some other aspects of the state still function."
As an optimistic Nigerian who believes in the country's economic potential, I was disheartened and uncomfortable with their statement. Initially, I dismissed it as the superiority complex and educational arrogance that Westerners often display to maintain control over African nations and dictate our policies.
However, I was wrong. Given the widespread poverty across Nigerian households and President Bello Turji’s leadership in Zamfara, where impoverished citizens are taxed heavily, I had no choice but to accept the bitter truth about Nigeria: a nation that has failed its people.
Nigeria is a failed state, teetering on the edge of disaster. With every passing moment, it sinks deeper into economic disgrace and crisis, engulfed by political turmoil and insurrection. But why has it failed? This is the question I cannot answer.
Recently, I was reading Chinua Achebe’s The Trouble with Nigeria, and in the first chapter, he insightfully identified the root of the problem. Achebe wrote: "The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian character, land, climate, water, or air. The problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility and the challenge of personal example, which are the hallmarks of true leadership."
Thus, Nigeria is a nation failed by its unpatriotic, tribalistic, greedy, and corrupt leaders, whose leadership lacks wisdom, vision, and ambition for the country. These leaders are more interested in embezzling public funds, siphoning them to Europe and other capitalist countries, building mansions on mountains, and owning companies in Oando.
I recall the dedication of Nigeria’s early post-independence leaders. Nigeria was once one of the world’s rapidly developing nations, expected to reach its potential by the early 20th century. Those leaders were committed to national progress, free from greed and self-enrichment. They had Nigeria’s best interests at heart, with the people's well-being as their guiding principle. Their dedication was so profound that even I, a 20th-century youth, learned of and admired their selfless love for Nigeria.
Sadly, the 20th century ended without Nigeria becoming a fully developed, independent nation. Instead, the country became increasingly dependent and underdeveloped. The vision of achieving greatness by 2020 was nothing more than an illusion, yielding no tangible results.
What’s even more devastating is the indifference of our so-called leaders to the loss of the 20th century without achieving anything significant. Now, in the 21st century, these leaders continue to gamble with Nigeria's future, selling off every opportunity for progress for their personal gain.
Every four years, the electorate—comprising mostly impoverished men and subjugated women—gathers to vote for "leaders" they hope will heal their wounds and bring success to the so-called "Giant of Africa." But each election, we, the people, become dreamers—dreamers of change and national transformation, wishing for renewed hope.
Do you blame us? We are Nigerians, and we admire the infrastructure in China and America—countries where our leaders vacation and where our future has been mortgaged. President Lagos King himself once promised Nigerians in China that he would build world-class roads like those in China. But how can that happen in a failed country burdened by debt and plagued by massive embezzlement?
The dilapidated schools in our towns and poorly equipped clinics that neither the leaders nor their families attend symbolize Nigeria’s failure. Yet, we are no less human than Americans, and we deserve the same humane treatment that Joe Biden extends to his people.
Some might argue that Nigerians are not as patriotic and dutiful as Americans, but how can citizens love a country whose elected leaders only visit them during election campaigns after four years of failed leadership, deceptive representation, and manipulation?
In summary, it is leadership that has failed Nigeria. The country lacks compassionate leaders who encourage mediocrity and distrust in public service. Every crisis facing Nigeria can be traced back to bad leadership. And every solution to our problems hinges on good leadership. Nigeria needs leaders who hear the cries of the people and act based on their demands and aspirations, not on the dictates of the IMF or World Bank subsidy-removal policies.
Nigeria is a failed state where the electorate, who hold sovereignty, are reduced to servants struggling to survive the torment inflicted by bad administrators, while elected leaders, who should serve, act as masters, cruelly denying the people the privileges they bestow upon themselves.
Despite these challenges, Nigeria’s problems are solvable with good, determined leadership. It requires unwavering dedication, collective action, and resistance to any policies that hinder our growth. Many nations, like India, have faced similar struggles and survived. Let us strive for change for the sake of our future.
Akilu Saadu is a law student at the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is an indigene of Aba, Zaria Local Government Area. He can be reached via email: akilusaadu212@gmail.com.
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