'Our leaders are selfish!' 'We only have self-serving Governors'. 'The President is corrupt!' How many times have you heard those statements from Nigerians? We are quick to put blames solely on the leaders. We blame everyone else but us for our misfortune. It's them when things go wrong. We seem comfortable living in denial. We pretend to be blind to the foundational truth of the causes of bad governance we have in our society today.

The bitter truth everyone seems to be running away from is that the leaders we have today are just the true reflection of the Nigerian state. The difference? They have only gotten a bigger platform, a higher office to do what what most Nigerians would do - use every paraphernalia of public office to pursue selfish interest. Isn't it funny that the same set of people - head teachers and Principals that have mismanaged their school resources, student leaders who have sold out their conscience on the altar of Mammon, leaders of small groups who have not been accountable for the little committed to their hands - all complain about bad leaders, when in fact, they could be worse if they lay their hands on higher offices. We have too numerous pretenders these days, masquerading as democrats.

Where are the Labaran Makus of yesteryears? Or shall we ask of the outspoken Reuben Abatis of not too long ago? We all know the stories. Just make your voice heard, and when the opportunities come, you grab them. Is that not what we have around us today?

A lot has been said about corruption in Nigeria and what it has degenerated to. Our President recently claimed that the issue of corruption is exaggerated. In my opinion, I think it is much worse than we think. Many years ago, towards the end of the military era of the 1990s, I had a conversation with one of my childhood friends that I still remember vividly till date. We were primary school kids playing around one evening in my village when the issue of governance popped up. We all agreed that the leaders of that time were 'bad', and to an innocent kid, bad is bad. But then, my friend asked if I wouldn't 'swallow money' (a direct translation of what he said in Yoruba) if I occupied such position. My response was simple and straight forward: No way! I was however startled with what he said afterwards. He said he would 'swallow money'. That's how low our fatherland has fallen! The seed of corruption has long been planted in our hearts and entrenched in our culture, and now it has matured and producing fruits in multiple folds.

Everyone is part of this problem. When somebody gets into a public office his family and friends expect him to build bigger houses and acquire new cars. He is termed stupid if he doesn't. And the same people who mount such pressure on them to steal complain about bad governance.

We are in a fix and urgently need a way out. Do we go for a revolution? Well, Rotimi Amaechi said the other day that Nigerians are not ready for a revolution, and I can't agree more. Revolution in Nigeria - as we have it today - will only succeed in removing a set of corrupt leaders and enthroning a new set of corrupt, perhaps more brutal leaders. We need a change, but that change must start in the hearts of individuals. When that is done, even the most brutal and corrupt leaders would find no hiding place among us. Anything short of this, a million revolutions would change nothing. A vivid example of this is Egypt. They wanted a change, they wanted freedom, but what did they get after sending Mubarak away? A new set of leaders that are even more dictatorial and restrictive than the previous administration. We must not commit the same mistake. There are many people who are only interested in using the masses to meet their selfish interest.

Are our leaders corrupt? Certainly! And so are many of us. Until individuals, who are the constituents of the larger society change nothing changes. Our destiny is in our own hand. Each time we vote based on sentiments or don't ask the right questions, we demonstrate our approval for such inept leadership. We are our own problem, and only we can solve it. The ball is, and has always been in our court!