Certainly, there is large-scale and deep-seated corruption, but corruption ranks very low on the list of Nigeria's problems.

Let me illustrate with Nigeria's power supply. Imagine that in the 70s, when Nigeria started experiencing sporadic power outages, the Federal Government had disbursed sufficient funds to States, and tasked them to produce their own Power.

Predictably, some States would have done better than others in this regard. Industries would have relocated to those States that provide uninterrupted power supply. Inevitably, some States would experience economic boom, and, unfortunately, some States would lag. But, more significantly, the entire Nation would not be economically crippled.

By extension, imagine that every State was empowered to develop their own natural resources and control their resource wealth! Nigeria would have long had a diversified economy, and the Government won't just be talking about diversification as they have been doing for decades. Economic diversification creates job opportunities. Massive job opportunities improve economic well-being of citizens. Economic well being enhances quality of life, breeds happiness and contentment, and brings peace and security.

Allowing States to control their resource wealth would not have been a radical, new concept, but a tried and tested system that is practiced in most advanced economies. But Nigeria's centralized system effectively hindered diversification of the economy, and prevented advancement. Basically, Nigeria ran an economic system that strangled progress, and nationalized poverty.

Economic centralization has also been effectively used by Hausa-Fulani oligarchs to control the national wealth. In fact, the conspiracy of Hausa-Fulani faction has retarded Nigeria's progress more than corruption. Since the 1966 counter coup that followed Nzeogwu's coup, all National plans and decisions were made with the interest of the North, leading to continued decline and ruin of the country. Allowing States to develop and control their resource wealth would have been the sensible thing to do. But it would have clashed with the interest of the North. A centralized economy empowered Hausa-Fulani power structure to brazenly siphon resource wealth from the South.

However, Nigeria's biggest problem is cluelessness of leadership!

Consider the fact that Nigeria has remained exactly the way the British left it: a collection of tribes, rather than a cohesive entity.

Nigeria is not a Nation. Consequently, there is no patriotism. There has to be a Nation for patriotism to flourish, because patriotism does not exist in a vacuum.

Yes, periodically, a sporting event would capture the collective attention. But, at the end, tribal affiliation still holds sway.

The main problem is that Nigerians who inherited power from the British were utterly CLUELESS about how to fashion a Nation. With no ideas about what to do, they simply used the country's wealth to give themselves luxurious life, leaving the country to drift. Successive Administration sheepishly following the same pattern, and the country has been drifting since independence.

I used NEPA (National Electric Power Authority) to illustrate the disadvantage of economic centralization. Talking about power supply, t is insane for the Government to have privatized such service of optimum importance in an emerging economy which has no protection for consumers. You don't get the services you pay for, and there's no penalty for the supplier!

(I've heard rumblings about the creation of regional police force. It is a form of restructuring and diversification. However, there's no economic benefit to this restructuring. If the salaries of State Police are not paid, like State civil servants are often unpaid, we would have created uniformed armed robbers. Just a thought.)

I thought you wanted to say something deep…

The power problem is it not corruption that’s causing it?

Nigerian leaders aren’t clueless. They know exactly what to do. But they won’t do it. Why? Because they are corrupt!


Nigeria’s biggest problem is corruption and tribalism- which is a subdivision of corruption including religion ( I classify these 3 as corruption)

Solve this problem and 70% of Nigeria’s problem is gone. Everything else will fall in place…

Well, the beginning and the end of this are that Nigeria isn't a country or qualified to be called a nation.

Just as I have stayed here numerous times, Nigeria is a British company, run solely on that basis.

It could be likened to a massive poultry farm but this time, populated by supposed humans.

Sociologists will be able to tell you more about the stage that the contraption called Nigeria is at in terms of evolution or development.

We are still very much in the early stages of the "hunter-gatherer" level.

What do you call a country without a proper foundation cum constitution to run on?

How do you build a house and except it to stand on a sandy and almost non-existent foundation?

Why would you dream of patriotism when a nation isn't in view?

Look, make we just begin dey accept the truth.

This isn't a country but a very badly run business enterprise where the management teams are running amok and everyone jostling to embezzle as much as he can for himself and his family before the business goes bankrupt.

If it’s not corruption it’s fvcking each other right. Fvcking asshole