iPostThisWeek

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...

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus is condemned by the gods to push a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time he nears the summit. Albert Camus, in his seminal essay The Myth of Sisyphus , reinterprets this curse as a metaphor for the human condition: the absurd struggle of life without ultimate meaning. Yet Camus insists that we must imagine Sisyphus happy, because dignity lies not in escaping the struggle but in embracing it with defiance. Nigeria’s oil story mirrors this Sisyphean curse. The nation’s oil boom of the 1970s promised prosperity, modernisation, and global prestige. Instead, decades later, Nigeria finds itself trapped in an endless cycle of corruption, dependency, and squandered opportunities. Each new government pushes the boulder of reform uphill; anti-corruption drives, diversification plans, subsidy removals, only for the stone to tumble back down through weak institutions, vested interests, and political inertia. The oil boom became a doom, and Nigeri...