“You can’t free a slave who is happy in his chains.” Nowhere does this adage resonate more than in Nigeria, where people are shackled by corruption, poverty, and broken governance, yet continue to smile, content in their suffering. The economic, political, and social rot is undeniable, but Nigerians seem unwilling to face their plight or rise against it. Instead, they remain docile, seemingly satisfied with their dire conditions, which has left the nation stagnant and crumbling on every front.
Economically, Nigeria’s potential is staggering, yet the reality is bleak. As Africa’s largest oil producer, the country should be thriving, but over 40% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. Despite the nation’s wealth in natural resources, the average Nigerian grapples with soaring inflation, skyrocketing unemployment, and basic amenities that are becoming luxuries. Meanwhile, the political elite continue to siphon off the nation’s wealth for personal gain, leaving little for the people. But instead of rising up, Nigerians simply smile through the hardship, adjusting their lives to the endless suffering. The chains of poverty tighten, but the people willingly bear them.
Politically, it’s the same story—recycled leadership, empty promises, and entrenched corruption. Nigeria’s political landscape is dominated by the same names—Obasanjo, Atiku, Tinubu—each offering the same tired rhetoric while doing nothing to solve the nation’s problems. Tribalism, patronage, and vote-buying ensure that these figures remain in power, while the electorate falls into the same trap every election cycle. Nigerians are trapped in their own complacency, unwilling to demand better governance or accountability. It’s as if the chains of bad leadership are comfortable now—familiar shackles that we refuse to break.
A glance at Nigeria’s political evolution reveals a pattern of passive acceptance. The promise of democracy has been replaced by a system where the powerful rule unchecked. The brief flicker of hope seen during the #EndSARS protests in 2020 was a rare moment of collective resistance, where the youth stood up against police brutality and corruption. But that fire was quickly snuffed out, and the energy dissipated. Since then, the same people who took to the streets have returned to their homes, accepting the very conditions they once protested against. The chains of fear and frustration remain firmly in place.
Why does this cycle of suffering continue? The answer is simple: we’ve grown accustomed to it. Nigerians have become comfortable with hardship, accepting mediocrity as the norm. The power outages, crumbling infrastructure, failing education system, and dilapidated healthcare—these are all tolerated, even as they worsen. Instead of demanding change, we point fingers at the government while doing nothing to hold them accountable. We vote in the same corrupt leaders every four years, hoping for change but doing nothing to create it.
The reality is that until Nigerians wake up to their own role in the country’s downward spiral, nothing will improve. The chains we wear are not just imposed by corrupt politicians—they are mental chains of complacency, passivity, and acceptance of mediocrity. We’ve convinced ourselves that we are powerless, but the truth is, the power lies with us. We’ve just refused to wield it.
To break free, there must be a national reckoning. Nigerians must stop accepting the status quo, stop excusing bad governance, and start demanding better. The future of Nigeria lies in the hands of its people, but as long as we remain content in our chains, the nation will remain stagnant—broken and enslaved by its own complacency.
Only when we decide that enough is enough, when we shed these chains of mental slavery, will we be free to build the nation we deserve. Until then, we will continue to suffer and smile, bound by chains we have chosen not to break.
