iPostThisWeek

Nigeria is a nation of ceaseless prayer. From dawn vigils to midnight supplications, Nigerians call upon God with unmatched fervour. Yet, despite this spiritual intensity, corruption, misgovernance, and civic irresponsibility persist. The paradox is stark: Nigerians pray to God like no country, but the gods are not to blame for our stupidity. Ola Rotimi’s classic play The Gods Are Not to Blame offers a haunting mirror. His play, a Yoruba retelling of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex , centres on King Odewale, who unknowingly fulfils a prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother. Despite attempts to escape fate, his downfall comes not from divine cruelty but from human failings, such as anger, ignorance, and denial. This literary lesson deepens the critique of Nigeria’s political and civic culture. In the tragedy of King Odewale, fate sets the stage, but human failings, such as ignorance, pride, rashness bring ruin. Nigeria’s political and civic failures echo this lesson: our decline is...

Introduction Every society has moments when its political class dazzles with wealth, ceremony, and power, even as the institutions beneath them begin to creak under the weight of corruption. Historians call America’s late‑19th‑century period the Gilded Age: a time when the surface glittered, but the foundations were compromised. Nigeria’s recent allegations of $50,000 and $30,000 bribes within the National Assembly evoke a similar metaphor, a nation entering its own gilded moment, where the shine of democracy masks the corrosion of accountability. This article draws from the American experience not to romanticize it, but to illuminate the patterns that emerge when corruption becomes systemic rather than episodic. America’s Gilded Age The American Gilded Age (1870s–1900s) was marked by: Explosive economic growth Extreme inequality Corporate capture of government Rampant political patronage and bribery It was an era where the wealthy industrialists, the so‑called “ro...

A Journey Through the Wilderness When the Israelites left Egypt, their path was marked by hardship. They trudged through deserts, crossed the Red Sea under Moses’ staff, and survived on manna from heaven. Yet, in their suffering, there was always a promise: “I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:4). Movement was not just survival; it was destiny. The journey itself was the covenant of freedom. Nigeria today finds itself in a similar wilderness. Our ministries of Transport, Aviation, and Works entrusted with carrying the people on “eagle’s wings” have instead become the bane of existence, shackling citizens in a modern captivity of broken roads, unaffordable flights, and absent railways. Death Traps on the Highways The Ministry of Works bears responsibility for the arteries of the nation. Yet our roads are littered with potholes, accidents, and insecurity. Highways that should connect families and commerce have become death traps. Like Pharaoh’s chariots ...

Defining the Key Concepts Civic Reform : Efforts to reshape governance and public life to be more inclusive, transparent, and participatory. It emphasizes citizen engagement, accountability, and equitable access to basic services. Tax Reform : Adjustments to a country’s tax system, such as rates, rules, and administration aimed at efficiency, fairness, or revenue growth. The Common Good : Shared conditions that allow all members of society to flourish, such as security, justice, infrastructure, and dignity. Nigeria’s Reality: A Crisis of Basics Despite decades of oil wealth, Nigeria faces decaying infrastructure: Electricity : Installed capacity of 12,500 MW, but only 4,000–5,000 MW transmitted; businesses spend $29 billion annually on generators. Roads: Over 200,000 km of road network, but more than 70% in poor condition. Water & Sanitation : Millions lack safe drinking water; boreholes are often contaminated. Security : Persistent insurgency...