Why Everybody In Nigeria Is A Corrupt Tyrant

By Pius Adesanmi

On Twitter, my sister, Oby Ezekwesili, is complaining about the idea of politicians and power.

I say to her as I say to you: nobody in Nigeria is serving in any office and this is not limited to government officials. As opposed to “serving in office”, every Nigerian is “in power” or “on seat” vis-a-vis other citizens.

We loathe lateral social relations. We go that extra mile to turn relations into a crude vertical line in which we are on top, exercising asymmetries of power over others.

The Nigerian grumbling about the impunity of government officials gets home. To his driver, gateman, and house help, he is a tyrant. His relationship with his domestic staff is worse than the relationship of the worst Governors in Nigeria with their people.

When a European Prime Minister rides a bicycle to the office, he becomes an instant sensation with middle class Nigerians on Twitter and Facebook. Yet, none of the admirers of that European bicycle rider would contemplate anything short of a master-slave relationship with their driver.

Anytime I sit in the front to be able to gist with my assigned driver in Nigeria, it is a social faux pas. I get gentle rebuke: Prof please go to the owner’s corner now.

In Ilorin, last year, I was caught up one day in a monster traffic jam. I thought there had been an accident. It turned out that an ordinary Nigerian suddenly discovered that he would not be able to make it in time to the Mosque for Friday prayers. He parked on a busy lane in front of Kwara Hotel, spread his mat right there on the road, and began his prayers. To my amazement, he was joined by other citizens. They all blocked the road. Just like that. No consequences.

Now, those citizens are exercising power. They are exercising impunity over other citizens and with the agreement of other citizens. They will then finish their prayers and resume their resentment of Saraki’s impunity because they do not know that they are also tyrants in their own personal stations in life.

Ours is a collective sociopathy. That is why one of our greatest social theorists, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, famously theorized the power of the omolanke pusher over his omolanke.

In Nigeria, everybody get im power everywhere and intends to use it to oppress everybody everywhere.

Source: Facebook