A guide to survival in Nigeria

Also published in Daily Trust

Nigerians are understandably fond of lamenting their largely leadership-inflicted predicaments. Every Nigerian has endless tales to tale in this regard, including the rich.

Lamentation has virtually overshadowed the points of discussion among Nigerians. Majalisa, Mai Shayi or Suya spots, markets and even commuter buses etc; are all virtual platforms for Nigerians to share their lamentations over various problems ranging, for instance, from issues as critical as chronic poverty to the relatively less important ones like a dismal performance of the Super Eagles.

This phenomenon confirms the masses’ collective interests, and indeed keenness for a real socio-political reform that would turn things around. Incidentally, this level of mass enthusiasm is strong enough to trigger any desired leadership reform. Ironically, however, this is not the case in Nigeria.

Significantly, the average Nigerians seem to count heavily on activists or social commentators, who eloquently sound as though they will fix the country in no time, once given the chance. While unknown to them, the vast majority of such so-called activists are simply desperate to join the same bandwagon they pretend to condemn.  After all, the majority of the activists are frustrated educated who resorted to false activism only to get noticed and eventually get access to the “big cake”.

Caught up between such unholy struggles, neither of which is actually committed to the real interests of the of the poor, and in view of the obvious helplessness of the poor to influence let alone impose any sustainable socio-political transformation, I would suggest that, every individual focuses on how to endure his own predicament in such a way that it may one day be finally over.

For instance, for one to free himself from the clutches of illusions that have persistently hindered people with illusionary hopes of change, one should squeeze his expectation (not hope) from the status-quo, to the minimum. This will inspire him to be more committed to his legitimate endeavors and be more realistic in his decision-making, which will indeed see him through this mess with the least inevitable cost. This is also particularly significant because it will save him a lot of mental stress, sense of disappointment and frustration, which will never allow him to have basic peace of mind or set him free to achieve anything appreciable.

If one happens to be a student for instance, he should only regard his formal academic pursuits as a means of acquiring appropriate formal certificates not necessarily knowledge and skills. In the meantime, he should focus on acquiring the actual relevant knowledge and skills through extra curriculum studies; be it private lessons or self-education efforts. Provided that he pursues it with passion, he is most likely to have the appropriate knowledge and skills substantial and sound enough to justify his formal certificates. This will also give him the necessary positive attitude and indeed inspire him to widen his vision and eventually get his rightful position even outside the country, where skills count and are appropriately recognized.

This is the only realistic way to cope with the country’s virtually collapsed educational system, which produces largely incompetent hence unemployable “educated” youth. Interestingly enough, I have recently come to know that some firms in Nigeria travel all the way to Britain in order to employ Nigerian British-educated people and bring them back to Nigeria. You may observe that, by doing so, these firms do not violate the appropriate Nigerian labor laws that require them to employ Nigerians, but in the meantime they escape from the risk of employing the largely half-baked, or even unbaked, Nigerian-trained graduates in favor of the largely more qualified British-educated Nigerians since both are Nigerians indeed.

Incidentally, regardless of how you see their act, such firms’ policies represent the kind of creativity and flexibility I would advise everybody to imbibe and employ in his personal life, so that he could dodge the avoidable negative effects of the dysfunctional system without necessarily violating the law.

Likewise, if he happens to be self-employed, he should be committed enough and expect the least from the system, thereby having more realistic assessments and/or calculations of his expenses and hence avoiding unnecessary disappointments.

In fact, even if he is part of the system itself but is fortunate enough to be principled enough not to indulge in the normal looting spree, having realized that he shall be made to account for every single penny he misappropriates in the hereafter, he can also manage whatever he is able to legitimately earn and expand his creativity to diversify into other endeavors.

In short, I believe if everybody adopts appropriate self-surviving techniques befitting his peculiar circumstances, talents and resources, he would not have to wait for the status-quo to change before he exploits his potential. And he will escape the risk of remaining endlessly frustrated and indeed ineffective.

There is also a great chance that such individual attitudinal creativity could grow into a social phenomenon, which may put the country at large on the right track towards real and sustainable transformation.

However, this does not in any way mean succumbing to the status quo without making any effort to transform it. All I suggest is for one to balance between his concern for the strategic interests of the country at large and his achievable personal potential. After all, being old enough to read this very piece means you may not live long to see a Nigeria of your dream in view of how things unfold.