FINAL YEAR DIARIES: 024.

Another day, another story.

My earliest understanding of Nigeria began in primary school. We used to pray for Nigeria during morning assemblies. There was always something to pray about—corruption, insecurity, bad government. Just name it. And, honestly, things were not even as bad then as they are now. Back then, I truly believed prayer would fix everything. When I was younger, I believed prayer could solve a lot of things.

Another phase of praying for Nigeria came in secondary school. During assembly, we would stand for long periods, praying for peace, for God’s intervention. I was born into it—born into praying for a government that has consistently failed to protect its people.

I remember a particular night vigil. It must have been during the period when kidnapping became very common in the southwest (not that it’s any better now). That night, I was praying—begging God to come down and rule Nigeria Himself. I prayed that we didn’t need a president. That was before this greedy man became president, anyway.

And it wasn’t just the prayers. I was born into hearing complaints too. There was almost nothing good to say about Nigeria and its government. The government never did even the barest minimum — Solid education, security, good roads, reliable electricity, good health care, good economy, and good governance. The government never provided any of this. Instead, all it did was take and take and take. And not just in the past alone. Even right now, that is still all the government does. It takes everything down to the crumbs.

Sometimes I wonder—maybe it’s because I have never seen the kind of money they steal?

How can a country endowed with a lot of natural resources still be suffering this way?

Oh sorry. I have the answer. Greed. Greedy politicians. Greedy lawmakers. Greedy government.

Electricity? Poor. It has been poor for as long as I can remember. It’s so bad that we’ve resorted to generators and solar panels just to have light when we need it. And still, we pay NEPA bills. Use your generator or solar from now till next year; they will still deliver NEPA bills.

Security? Ofo ni yen. Anytime you step outside, your heart is in your mouth. You’re reciting Psalm 23 or 91 at the back of your mind because anything can happen. You can enter a taxi and end up in another state.

In a sovereign state that supposedly has a president. Oh, sorry—a greedy man.

Money for good roads? They take 95% and use the remaining 5% to pay boys to fill potholes with rubbish. You wonder why you hear accidents every second. The bad road is a contributing factor.

Education? That one is a solid 1/10. It hasn’t improved in the last 25 years. The free education these leaders enjoyed when they were young doesn’t exist for us. Instead, they make everything harder. Getting into university is a huge struggle. We literally end up writing JAMB, writing WAEC, NECO, and whatever else they think we should suffer through in SS3 just to be able to enter university. Isn’t that very sad? In my opinion, it’s just a way to make money for the same greedy people.

And even when you enter, there is still strike. You don’t even know when it can happen. You can literally have your life planned out, and Nigeria will happen. All of a sudden, strike will be declared. And it can go on for months.

And what did I see tonight? The Zamfara State government wants to sponsor the weddings of about 200 orphans. Orphans? Weddings? From where to where? How? Is it ment or malaria? Oh—I forgot. Some people hit their heads on the floor when they were young. Those people are the Nigerian government and many politicians, because they are not thinking.

Shame on the Government.

Shame on the Politicians.

Shame on the lawmakers.

Shame on the very people who sentenced Mazi Kanu to life imprisonment and still allow the leaders of the terrorist group to walk freely.

Shame on the lawmakers who went to court to defend the killing of Deborah. How many were there again? 52. 52 lawmakers went to court to defend the killing of Deborah.

Do you even know how she died? Do you? Are you happy with the state of Nigeria? Because I am not. I am so angry. Angry that I am a Nigerian. Angry that I am in this country. Angry that one tone-deaf individual is the president.

Big shame on those old agbayas.

Shame on the people who think the state of Nigeria does not concern them because they have money to move things. Shame on you if you think this way. And just so you know, something is really wrong with you.

If you think Nigeria’s problems don’t concern you because you have money, think again. Because na all of us dey use the same road.

And you—yes, you—who is spending your politician father’s stolen money abroad. I’m sorry for you. Your father stole money from the masses to send you to school while the real owners of that money suffer. You are part of the problem. Especially if you are aware of this.

And if your reason for not wanting Trump to be the “savior” of Nigerians is because you think he wants our natural resources, then you need to find another excuse.
Because ever since you were born, have you seen those natural resources?
Has your hand ever touched even one percent of them?

And let’s be honest—you don’t know what happens behind closed doors. He might have had access to those resources long before now.
Who knows?
Or do you think your government loves you so much that they’re “protecting” the resources? Oh, my darling. They don’t care.

By the way, I’m not in support of him coming. I believe it will lead to even more deaths. But that “natural resources” argument? Drop it and look for another one.

A sovereign state is supposed to have a leader. But somehow, another country is the one commenting on our affairs, talking about our insecurity, our killings, our chaos.

It is embarrassing. It is disgusting. It is a complete disgrace. Shame on the person who calls himself the Nigerian president. Big shame.

I am livid. I am angry.

For the longest time, I tried to stay optimistic about Nigeria. That’s why I avoided negative news. But as the years have passed, I have lost hope. I remember when I was in SS3—during mathematics class, our teacher told us about the mass shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate. He said Nigerian blood spilled on the Nigerian flag. It was painful to hear. That EndSARS protest. I heard it was even a peaceful one. A peaceful protest, and you had to open fire on people. On whose orders? Whose? Guess who…

I have prayed, hoped, and believed that Nigeria would get better someday. But for years, things have only grown worse—worse in government, worse at the grassroots, worse in our schools, and worse in everyday systems. Even ordinary market women are adding unnecessary zeros to prices. Corruption has become part of daily life. It is exhausting.

I remember 11 years ago, I was part of the crowd chanting “Bring Back Our Girls.” I had so much hope that they would return home. Yet 11 years later, we still haven’t heard anything meaningful. Instead, it’s repeating itself again.

Because I am frustrated. I am tired—tired of churches being attacked, tired of hearing that villages are wiped out, tired of the killings, the bullying, and the oppression by these so-called leaders.

When people say, “Nigeria will not happen to us,” do we even understand what it means? It shows we already believe Nigeria is a difficult, terrible place to live. It shows Nigeria is not even functioning as a country. It means Nigeria is hell. That phrase is basically a prayer that we won’t experience the everyday evil this nation brings.

At this point, all Nigerians are part of the problem. No need to point fingers anymore. You know why? Because corruption has eaten deep into the country. Even places that were not like this have now become like this. Everything is rotten. Nigeria is rotten. And if you don’t see it, look around you. A lot has happened in the past three days. It’s on X, it’s on WhatsApp statuses. It is everywhere.

Giant of Africa. More like Ants of Africa.

And the only thing the number one citizen of Nigeria could say out of that stinking mouth of his was, “I am depressed.” When instead, it should have been “I am useless and incompetent, and I should resign”?

Churches are being attacked.
People are being abducted.
Girls are being kidnapped.
And the president… I heard he is jetting off somewhere.

Oh well. I never had any expectations of a hungry, greedy man whose campaign words were “èmi ló kan” and never “I want the best for Nigerians.” Even if it was to lie like the others do.

2027 is 13 months away, and once again, election season will come. If you like, don’t use your God-given sense. If you like, let your mantra be “ọmọ wa ni” or “ọmọ wa ló kan,” simply because you hate the Igbos.

Anyway, just know that when that time comes, we will all face the consequences together. Every single one of us. E go touch us, whether we like it or not.

I have so much to say, but I will just stop here.

May God help Nigerians.
And may Nigerians use their God-given brains too.

Ire o.

#bringbackourgirls #stopthechristiangenocide #tinubumustresign #tinubumustgo