Greetings to my dear readers,

Before I begin, I shall like to say: I’m glad to be a witness of this day; a time to behold. The consciousness of individuals, across continents, all over the world, are rising in massive numbers. More individuals are becoming more self-aware. And if history has taught us something, it’s times like these, history is made. You see? This is history unfolding before our very eyes; what story are we writing?

The truth is; it doesn’t matter how desperately we wish to evolve, the key to writing a positive story lies within the human nature. Well, my country Nigeria is full of energy and promise, however, like a lot of it’s surrounding nations, so many individuals feel tired and frustrated. Things don’t seem fair. Prices keep rising, corruption continues, and trust in leaders is fading fast. But behind all this lies a deeper question: what kind of people are we becoming?

To understand Nigeria’s struggles, we have to look beyond politics and money. We have to look at human nature, justice, and the idea of the common good; how we live together and care for one another.

Human Nature; Are We Naturally Good or Selfish?

Every day in Nigeria shows two sides of human nature. We see greed, lies, and corruption. But we also see kindness, generosity, and people helping strangers when it matters most.

Many Nigerians do wrong things not because they are evil, but because they’re trying to survive in a broken system. When hard work and honesty don’t seem to pay, people start cutting corners. But that doesn’t mean we have lost our sense of good; it just means our environment often pushes the worst parts of us forward.

If our society rewarded honesty instead of greed, many would gladly do the right thing. Human nature responds to what it’s fed.

Justice; Why Fairness Matters

Justice means fairness. It means everyone is treated equally, no matter who they are. Sadly, in Nigeria, justice feels uneven. The poor suffer for small mistakes, while the rich escape punishment for bigger crimes.

When people see that justice doesn’t work, they lose faith in the system. And when faith is gone, people start taking matters into their own hands; through bribery, shortcuts, or silence.

Justice is the foundation of peace. Without it, there can be no real progress, because no one feels safe or valued.

The Common Good; Thinking Beyond Ourselves

The common good means the things that help everyone; safety, good roads, clean air, education, and fairness. But in Nigeria today, most people are focused on personal survival. Everyone is trying to secure something for themselves because they no longer trust that the system will care for them.

This “every man for himself” attitude is understandable, but it’s also dangerous. It weakens our communities and divides us by tribe, religion, and class. We forget that we actually need each other to build a better country.

The truth is, no nation can succeed when people stop caring about the whole. The moment “me” becomes more important than “us,” the country begins to fall apart.

The Way Forward

To fix Nigeria, we must fix our values. Laws and reforms alone can’t do it. We need to rebuild trust; in one another and in our shared future.

That starts with small things: being honest even when it’s hard, refusing to take bribes, respecting other’s rights, and holding leaders accountable. It means leaders must serve instead of rule, and citizens must stop excusing wrongdoing just because it benefits them.

We all have a part to play. Change won’t happen overnight, but it begins when individuals choose to live with integrity.

In Conclusion

Nigeria’s crisis is not just political or economic; it’s moral. It’s about who we are becoming as a people.

If we still believe in justice, fairness, and the common good, then we can rebuild from where we are. But it starts with each of us choosing to be better; not perfect, just better, and believing that goodness is still possible in this country.

That belief, more than anything else, is what will keep Nigeria alive.

©️Victor E. Ojei, 2025.