Introduction Nigeria’s democracy has always been narrated through acronyms. From Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN) to Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) to National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), each era has carried its own vocabulary of reform, promise, and disappointment. The language changes, the technology evolves, the institutions rebrand, but the people’s core demand remains painfully constant: a credible election. As 2027 approaches, the country once again finds itself rehearsing familiar anxieties, familiar hopes, and familiar battles over the tools meant to safeguard the vote. The Long History of Electoral Jargon Without Justice Since 1959, Nigeria has cycled through electoral commissions and their accompanying innovations. Every transition has been sold as the long‑awaited fix. Yet none of these reforms: whether structural, legal, or technological has delivered the free and fair elections Nigerians dese...
Introduction Nigeria has never lacked for conversations about corruption. What we often lack, however, is honesty about its full spectrum. We condemn the petty thief with righteous fury, yet we whisper, sometimes even applaud, when the “smart thief” in high office plunders the nation with a fountain pen. Both forms of theft drain the lifeblood of the country. Both undermine the well‑being of the state. Yet only one group is routinely demonized, while the other is shielded by power, influence, and a justice system that bends like wet cardboard. This article argues that Nigeria’s crisis is not merely about petty criminality on the streets. It is about a culture that normalizes grand theft at the top while pretending to be shocked by the survival crimes at the bottom. Until we confront this hypocrisy, Nigeria will remain “every year, a child,” stunted while other nations grow with responsibility and dignity. Petty Thieves: The Condemned Faces of Survival Crime A few weeks ago, soc...