By Festus Edovia, ANIPR, FICM
Nigeria faces a troubling contradiction: millions of citizens continue to grapple with poverty, hunger, unemployment and insecurity, while some political leaders and their supporters celebrate achievements that ordinary Nigerians struggle to see or experience. At a time when families are fighting to survive, the enthusiasm with which political victories and government accomplishments are celebrated can seem disconnected from the realities confronting the people.
The question is simple: how can a nation celebrate progress when so many of its citizens remain uncertain about their next meal, access to healthcare, their children’s education or their personal safety?
For too many politicians, the pursuit of power appears to overshadow the responsibility to improve lives. Electoral victories, political appointments and the preservation of influence often dominate public discourse, while the welfare of ordinary Nigerians receives insufficient attention. The result is a growing disconnect between political celebrations and the everyday experiences of the people.
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Millions of families struggle to afford basic necessities. Parents face rising education costs, patients encounter financial barriers to healthcare, and young people contend with limited employment opportunities. Insecurity also threatens lives, livelihoods and agricultural productivity, placing additional pressure on communities already burdened by economic hardship.
Yet political messaging can sometimes present modest achievements as extraordinary accomplishments, leaving citizens to wonder whether their suffering is adequately reflected in the priorities of those who govern them.
Leadership should be measured by improvements in people’s lives, not by the volume of praise surrounding those in power.
One of Nigeria’s persistent governance challenges is corruption, which undermines public institutions and diverts resources from essential services. When public funds are mismanaged or diverted for private benefit, the consequences are felt in poorly equipped hospitals, inadequate schools, deteriorating infrastructure and missed opportunities for economic development.
Corruption is not merely a subject for political speeches. It affects whether a child receives quality education, whether a patient can access treatment and whether a community has dependable roads, water and electricity. Every public resource lost through corruption represents an opportunity that could have improved someone’s life.
Where accountability is weak, public confidence suffers. Citizens become increasingly sceptical of official promises, especially when those accused of wrongdoing appear to escape meaningful consequences. Tackling corruption therefore requires more than declarations of intent; it demands transparent institutions, credible investigations, fair enforcement of the law and responsible management of public resources.
Another obstacle to effective governance is the tendency of political actors to blame predecessors, opponents or external circumstances whenever they fall short of expectations. While governments inevitably face challenges, leadership requires the willingness to acknowledge shortcomings, explain decisions and demonstrate measurable progress.
Citizens do not elect public officials to spend their time exchanging accusations. They expect them to improve security, expand economic opportunities, strengthen education and healthcare, maintain infrastructure and create conditions in which people can build decent lives.
Political disagreements are part of democracy, but they should not become an excuse for neglecting these responsibilities. The public deserves solutions, not an endless contest over who is responsible for the country’s difficulties.
The gap between the experiences of political elites and ordinary citizens also deserves serious attention. Some public officials can afford private healthcare and overseas education, while many Nigerians struggle to access adequately funded schools and hospitals at home.
There is nothing inherently wrong with individuals seeking quality services abroad. The concern is that those entrusted with public resources may enjoy alternatives unavailable to the majority, while the institutions that should serve citizens remain under pressure.
A country’s progress should not be judged solely by the privileges enjoyed by its wealthiest citizens or the political class. It should also be reflected in the quality of public services available to an ordinary family, regardless of income or social status.
Why should access to quality healthcare depend so heavily on a person’s ability to pay? Why should families face difficult financial choices simply to keep their children in school? And why should young people struggle to find meaningful work in a country with considerable human and natural resources?
These questions go to the heart of public accountability. They demand policies that expand access to essential services, strengthen institutions and ensure that economic opportunities are not confined to a privileged few.
The celebration of public projects also deserves greater scrutiny. Roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure are necessary investments, but they are not personal gifts from politicians to the people. They are public responsibilities funded, directly or indirectly, by resources belonging to the public.
A road project should therefore be assessed by its quality, cost, usefulness and durability—not simply by the ceremony accompanying its commissioning. The same applies to hospitals, schools and other government projects. Publicity cannot substitute for performance, and praise cannot replace independent scrutiny of how public money is spent.
When political loyalty becomes more important than competence, and public relations takes precedence over measurable outcomes, governance risks becoming a performance staged for political survival rather than a service delivered to citizens.
The consequences extend beyond the present generation. Children who lack access to quality education may face fewer opportunities as adults. Businesses struggling with unreliable infrastructure and high operating costs may find it difficult to expand and create jobs. Communities affected by insecurity may lose livelihoods and investment. Over time, these challenges can weaken public institutions and erode confidence in the country’s future.
Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable development if poverty is treated as an unavoidable condition rather than a problem requiring deliberate action. Nor can the country make meaningful progress if public officials are judged mainly by political loyalty, campaign messaging or the ability to mobilise applause.
However, complaints alone will not transform the country. Change also requires citizens who are informed, engaged and willing to hold public officials accountable.
As another election cycle approaches, Nigerians should look beyond slogans, handouts and elaborate campaign promises. Candidates and political parties should be scrutinised on their records, policies, integrity, competence and plans for addressing the country’s challenges.
Citizens should resist the temptation to defend political leaders uncritically because they belong to a preferred party, ethnic group, religious community or political camp. Shared identity should never be a substitute for accountability. Public misconduct deserves scrutiny regardless of who is responsible, and government performance should be assessed against evidence rather than partisan loyalty.
The vote is an important democratic instrument, but civic responsibility does not end on election day. Nigerians can also demand transparency in public spending, question policy decisions, engage their representatives, support credible accountability efforts and insist that public institutions operate in the interests of the people.
The goal should not be to replace one set of political personalities with another while leaving the same problems unresolved. It should be to build a political culture in which public office is treated as a responsibility, public resources are managed transparently and leaders are expected to account for their decisions.
Nigeria needs practical reforms that address the pressures facing ordinary citizens. These include improving access to affordable healthcare and quality education, creating an environment where businesses can thrive, strengthening security, supporting agricultural productivity and expanding decent employment opportunities.
Above all, the country needs a stronger connection between political leadership and the everyday realities of its people. Citizens should not have to wait until election campaigns begin before their concerns receive serious attention.
A government’s responsibility to its people does not begin with an election announcement or end when votes have been counted. It is a continuing obligation that requires consistency, accountability and a willingness to confront difficult problems even when doing so offers little immediate political advantage.
Nigeria belongs to all its citizens, not merely to those who hold public office or enjoy privileged access to power. Its resources and institutions should serve the wider public, and its development should create opportunities for people across different social and economic backgrounds.
The time has come to challenge the normalisation of poverty, question the celebration of unfulfilled promises and demand a political culture in which achievements are judged by their real impact. Leaders should be celebrated when their work produces meaningful improvements, but they must also be held accountable when they fall short.
A nation in distress does not need a leadership culture concerned only with applause. It needs public officials who listen to citizens, accept responsibility, protect public resources and work consistently to improve the quality of life.
The choice facing Nigeria is not simply about which politicians win elections. It is also about the standards citizens demand from those who govern them and the institutions they expect to hold those leaders accountable.
The future of the country must not be sacrificed to political ambition, personal enrichment or partisan loyalty. Building a better Nigeria requires responsible leadership, active citizenship and a shared commitment to ensuring that public power serves the public good.
Political power is temporary. Public office is a trust. And no politician, party or interest group is greater than the nation it claims to serve.
A word, they say, is enough for the wise.
