Sir: Some years ago, an international survey carried out revealed Nigerians as the happiest people on the planet earth. As at the time, the news made the headline, most people found it difficult to believe. But even before the results of the survey came out, Nigeria’s iconic Fela had come up with “Shuffering and Shmilng!” as a noticeable trait in his people. 

Anyone who creates out time to watch Nigerians very well would discover that something is certainly wrong somewhere. From the attitudes of leaders down to how the followers comport themselves generally, there is a lot to keep any keen observer wondering.

How for instance would anyone explain a culture of leaders continually embezzling staggering billions of naira meant for national development and watch their citizens suffer so much without batting any eyelid? How would Nigeria’s leaders continue to travel out of the country frequently, see how organised the Western world is and return without any resolve to replicate what they see over there in their own country? How would a single individual own properties valued at more than N200 billion just because he had the opportunity of holding a public office? Why do Nigerians find it difficult to learn about the vanity of life from the aftermath of others.

There have been Nigerians with wardrobes all over the world and influence transcending Africa but whose entire assets and estate crumbled completely after their deaths.

And who else apart from someone having mental issues would be deceived continually without ever regaining consciousness so much so that after undergoing utter abandonment, total neglect and sufferings from their so-called leaders, few weeks to elections would hurriedly forget all the severe pains they have been through just  because of meaningless carrots dangled at them to vote again for a lifelong suffering and woes?

Which manner of people apart from those having mental challenges would keep littering their environment so much without ever thinking of the adverse effects such negative attitudes pose to their general health? With heavy bags of varying sizes and shapes filled up to the brim with dirt thrown from posh vehicles into the drainages and roads on daily basis by those who ordinarily would be seen to be educated and normal, how would any government cope with such madness?

Besides, no matter how terrible Nigeria is, or the level of maladministration in the country, it is still possible to see people in different places dancing to loud music as if their land has suddenly become an El dorado.

While nobody is ready to challenge poor governance apart few activists and daily cries on the radio and social media, most Nigerians are however not only football-crazy but can also kill because of their foreign football teams! Shouts of Man U versus Arsenal, lousy arguments about which player earns the biggest pay are the greatest concern of most Nigerian youths. Who but the mentally sick would abandon a deadlier leprosy only to focus all attention on the less serious ringworm?

Just a few years ago, the youths came up with a brilliant idea that was the first of its kind since Nigeria’s independence. They occupied the streets and demanded that a particular arm of the police force be disbanded with immediate effect and the government was forced to acquiesce to the demand.

But even during the course of that strong agitation, some elements of madness still reared its ugly head. If not, why burn down national assets like the High Court? Why must mass transit buses meant to serve the same suffering masses be burnt to ashes by those the government was trying to help themselves? It was in this same Nigeria the June 12 protests took place and all that happened were burning of tyres on the major highways, nothing more. What madness then came over the EndSARS protesters that caution was thrown to the wind leading to very dire consequences?

The amnesia Nigerians display apart from being so annoying also paints a picture of a people having something wrong with their corporate brains. Past leaders whose major achievement was to put Nigeria in a state of perpetual sufferings are eulogised to the high heavens by people suffering from incurable amnesia when in actual sense, those same rapacious past leaders who stole billions and therefore taught their successors same, which is responsible for the current national tragedy for which there seems to be no hope in sight, such is the madness of people canvassing for a return to military rule.

Jide Oyewusi is the coordinator of Ethics Watch International Nigeria.