The Nigerian Syndrome -By Leonard Karshima Shilgba

1. The Nigerian refuses responsibility, but pushes it to the “leaders”. Let’s consider an example: If you frequently ride the train on the Itakpe-Warri line, you would have noticed that the toilets at train stations along the route and on the train coaches are without WATER! Passengers are often dehumanised: men and women are made to ease themselves in the bushes around (polluting the environment)! And if you are in natural need while aboard, may heaven help you. You see overhead water tanks at those stations, but there is no water in them. This is not the responsibility of “leaders” in Abuja o. It is the responsibility of “ordinary” staff of NRC at those train stations, who would rather collect money from desperate passengers (who could not book their trip online because seats have been fully booked) and push them aboard without seats!

Additionally, those NRC staff have failed to either keep the train stations neat or the facilities working (including the television system for passengers). Blame the “leaders!

What Nigerians often blame in their “leaders” is a thriving virus within themselves!

2. Ungrateful Nigerian: You would find a Nigerian claiming they have benefitted nothing from Nigeria. He has attended or attends a highly subsidized federal university where the whole fees up to graduation is less than N800,000 ($500), and receives highly subsidized medical care from a government hospital. This ungrateful Nigerian doesn’t pay taxes; he vandalizes public property: as they build and construct, he cannibalizes. Yet, he blames Nigeria’s challenges on “corrupt leaders”.

3. The Nigerian always sees the greener field “abroad”: The Nigerian receives subsidized education in Nigeria, becomes a medical doctor, and fights any attempts to make him serve his country for a few years before taking the “japa” bug. Oh, how Nigerians hate Nigeria, and do everything they can to destroy her! The rush to anywhere “abroad” is a mad one. “Don’t blame Nigerians, blame their leaders,” someone may say. Take a flight backwards in time, and start counting from 1999: Many of the “leaders”, political leaders in Nigeria today, were like you 25 years ago: unknown, unsung, just “ordinary” Nigerians complaining against “corrupt and incompetent leaders”, just as you are doing today. What you need is not from “abroad”. People build their country. ” They have not given me an opportunity,” you defend yourself. They gave you an opportunity to receive subsidized education; how many opportunities do you need? Life is hard. Create the opportunity that you need; by the way, there are Nigerians who are building, creating, founding, and doing great things in Nigeria. Some of you Nigerians that have “japa” are living in very degrading circumstances, but for the banal fun of “I am living overseas”. Don’t misread me: some of you have decent purpose and living abroad. I was once one of you.

4. Ignorant Nigerian: Have you ever come across an ignorant Nigerian arguing confidently, yet ignorantly from an uninformed position? Many Nigerians read junk (comedies, gossips, etc.) on social media. They don’t have appetite for economics, law, political development, civics, or mathematics. How can we build a nation with so many ignorant people, who DON’T READ, but feast on rumors?
Correct a Nigerian, oh, he will let you know that he is not a “fool”; but he has just said it, not you!

As I listen in to Nigerians, observe them, read them, and try to engage them, I am afraid for Nigeria for the egregious preponderance of ignorance. The people don’t understand the significance of government’s fiscal, monetary, or social policies. All their cry is, ” Things are hard, give us food, bring back fuel subsidy, make a liter of petrol N167, make the exchange rate N300 to $1…” Ah, and some of those Nigerians are university graduates! They believe that economic change is by decree, and that their “leaders” wish them death by refusing to pronounce the economic decree.

They overlook the local and state governments in their search for welfare and fix their gaze and expectation on the federal government. When shall those Nigerians READ? Almost N50 out of every N100 shared for Nigerians is to the local and state governments! During the #EndBadGovernance protests, it was reported that one state governor told protesters, “I will collect and pass on your complaints to the president.” I was shocked at such display of ignorance on both sides!

5. Sense of entitlement: Nigerians often believe that Nigeria owes them. Nigeria means its citizens. Who owes you, Nigerian, and who do you owe? You Nigerian belong to a family in which you have certain responsibilities. If you live a dependent life as an adult within your small family, caring for no one, but expecting from everyone, you are a burden on the nation. And aggregation of people like you is a threat to Nigeria. There are Nigerian men who have more children than their incomes can support. After doing all the marrying and producing of children without government’s endorsement, they blame government for not “helping” them, while they pay no taxes. But Government is like a community cooperative. Members make a regular contribution, and each withdraws according to what they have put in. What have you put into Nigeria? Haven’t you withdrawn more than you have put in?

We need Nigerians that build. And if you can’t build, neither must you pull down.

Leonard Karshima Shilgba

©Shilgba

Leonard Karshima Shilgba, PhD

Professor of Mathematics,
Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance,
Pioneer Ag Vice Chancellor/President,
Pioneer Vice President (Academics)
Admiralty University of Nigeria.

Tel: +234-7035939505;
+234-9074346000 (WhatsApp)