Nigeria is in dire straits. Those who claim to love her often do so for themselves — seeking to dominate, exploit, and profit. Others reject her outright. And yet, some see her as desirable but irredeemable.
A respected pastor I know teaches that it is almost blasphemous to associate God with the task of putting Nigeria together. And while I understand his caution, I cannot help but feel that the true crisis in Nigeria is not divine abandonment but human corruption.
Let us be honest: the British never cared about the welfare of Nigeria’s diverse peoples when they stitched together conflicting cultures and histories into a single country. It was never about justice, unity, or peace. But despite this messy inheritance, I keep returning to a nagging thought: those of us who love peace and progress have not fought hard enough to defend Nigeria from her abusers.
Our problem is not with Nigeria itself, but with those who abuse her. And yet, many of us think the only solution is to dissolve the country or break away to escape the pain. But have we ever considered staying to fight? Why should a small fraction of corrupt leaders, representing less than one percent of the population, hold sway over the rest of us?
If we commit ourselves to confronting these criminals and reclaiming our country, everything can change. What we need is unity of purpose and relentless commitment to that purpose. Running away solves nothing — the same forces that oppress us will follow us wherever we go if we do not confront them here.
History shows us that the few only dominate the many when the many are divided, disorganized, and afraid. Two hundred million Nigerians do not need to rise all at once. A dedicated, organized few, committed to integrity and justice, can turn the tide.
Fighting for Nigeria does not necessarily mean chaos or violence. It means building systems of accountability, protecting truth-tellers, refusing to normalize corruption, and nurturing a generation that cannot be bought or divided.
Nigeria does not need more people who are tired of her. She needs people who are angry enough to stay, disciplined enough to rebuild, and courageous enough to reclaim her from the abusers.
We must stay. We must fight. And we must win — not for the politicians, not for the elites, but for Nigeria herself.
Published by Chuks Nwachuku
