A Nation of Lamenters
BY DAKUKU PETERSIDE A government can survive the anger of its people if that anger never acquires organisation. This is the uncomfortable possibility Nigeria must confront as 2027 approaches. We
Nigeria finds itself facing a distressing reality as it anticipates the year 2027. The common grievances of its people—rising costs of living, precarious livelihoods, road safety concerns, and dissatisfaction with public institutions—have not translated into a united call for action or a clear understanding of who should be held accountable.
Lamentation serves a purpose, exposing wrongs and challenging official complacency, yet it alone cannot fix the underlying issues. The primary responsibility for Nigeria's problems lies with its leaders, who wield power over public resources and appointments, leaving ordinary citizens with limited agency. While leaders may cite constraints like electoral manipulation, poverty, and institutional weaknesses as justifications for their actions, these are not valid excuses.
Accountability must not be dismissed as a failure of citizens; leaders, through their control of resources and powers, bear the principal responsibility for the consequences. The challenge for citizens is to retain agency within unequal conditions and find ways to organise and bring about change. Shared suffering does not necessarily lead to a shared political purpose, as disagreements over the causes and solutions to problems like hunger can arise based on ethnicity, religion, partisan affiliations, and dependence on political patrons.
The failure occurs when loyalty overrides a commitment to evidence-based decisions, allowing wrongdoings by allies to go unpunished while condemning similar actions in opponents. A dangerous expression of resignation is the belief that votes are meaningless, a sentiment that must be addressed with seriousness. Electoral institutions must earn trust by demonstrating integrity, security agencies must protect the voting process, and political parties must organise effectively to ensure credible competition.
Citizens cannot indefinitely compensate for institutions that fail to meet their duties, but persistent distrust and surrender do not punish the system; instead, they may allow those with the means to dominate it. Participation in the electoral process, although not guaranteed to bring victory or fairness, is essential to influence outcomes, expose failures, and build pressure for reform.
Organised scrutiny, including informed voters, trained party agents, lawful observation, and credible documentation, can make manipulation harder to conceal and easier to contest. Faith in Nigeria is a complex issue that should not be seen as incompatible with civic responsibility. Religion can provide courage in the face of institutional fear, foster solidarity, defend dignity, and challenge injustice.
However, when spiritual reassurance becomes an excuse to stop questioning earthly matters, it can grant officials an exemption from accountability. Leaders must still be answerable for their actions, regardless of their religious beliefs or endorsements. Economic insecurity further complicates the political landscape. Citizens who accept handouts to participate in political events must be scrutinised, as it does little to demonstrate their long-term political loyalty.
The real question lies in those who turn deprivation into a political tool, benefiting from loyalty-based access to resources rather than entitlement. To achieve genuine political renewal, Nigeria must address the relationship between economic insecurity and democratic freedom, rather than merely focusing on the victims of this insecurity.
Organising a simple record of political promises, their sources, timelines, and outcomes can enhance accountability and help citizens distinguish between empty promises and real commitments.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
