OPINION… The Unleadable Nation: Why Nigeria’s diversity Is a weapon and Its people the ammunition

Nigeria's diversity is not a weakness, but a weapon wielded by those in power. Leaders have turned the nation's ethnic and religious differences into tools for personal gain. The lie that Nigerians are unable to govern themselves distracts from the fact that those seeking leadership have weaponised every fault line. Nigeria's 220 million people are split almost evenly between Muslims and Christians, with religious leaders wielding significant influence in recent elections.

Ethnicity has also become a divisive force, with 35% of Nigerians reporting experiencing discrimination. The failure to heal historical wounds, such as the Nigeria-Biafra war, has left deep-seated resentment among the Igbo people. The electoral system, plagued by judicial involvement, has eroded public trust and further exacerbated divisions.

This is a nation robbed of its future, where the people are left to cling to their identities as the only means of survival.