Isn’t Nigeria both uniquely blessed and cursed?
Why does Nigeria stand out as a country plagued by numerous issues yet often turns a blind eye to its challenges?
The crux of the matter lies in the tendency of individuals, especially Nigerians, to engage in superficial discussions without truly grasping the depth of the problems.
Find me a nation where the government artificially strengthens the domestic currency to subsidize imports.
Find the country where unlicensed individuals openly trade forex on the streets, importing nearly everything.
Locate the country that imports refined petroleum products while exporting crude oil.
Identify the nation whose citizens flock abroad for medical treatment while their own doctors seek opportunities overseas.
Spot the country where youth study abroad, inflating tuitions for forex manipulation.
Find me the land where foreign-owned supermarkets flood the market with imported goods.
Discover the nation where livestock freely roam, devastating farmlands.
Pinpoint the country where debt servicing consumes over 90% of annual revenues.
Find the place where lawmakers overstep their roles, interfering in project executions.
Seek out the country where states and local governments heavily rely on central funding.
Highlight the nation where judicial decisions are influenced by the highest bidder, and citizens own oilfields instead of them being national assets.
Locate the country where bank owners engage in widespread fraud, akin to bank robbers.
Find the place where citizens handle their own utilities and security needs due to governmental failures.
Discover the country where police extort money from citizens with impunity.
Spot the nation where the central bank is marred by corruption.
Find the country plagued by ethnic and religious divides like Nigeria.
Identify the country where illegal mining by foreigners robs the nation of its resources.
If these myriad issues are the reasons for Nigeria’s perpetual poverty, then one could continue listing more, including pre-determined election outcomes and judiciary bias.
All these maladies converge in one nation—Nigeria.
– Basil Odilim
