The Patience That Betrays Us: A reflection on Nigerian’s misplaced endurance

 

Go up to the average Nigerian, ask him his problem with the country, and you’ll hear, “bad government, corruption, or nepotism.” Return to the same man, give him a taste of the very things he claimed were the problem, and watch him change his mind instantly. 

In Nigeria, we, the citizens, are a major contributor to our problems. We chase temporary solutions instead of long-term ones. We are very patient people, but for the wrong things. 

The Paradox of The “Nigerian” Patience 

Bad governance, poor service, injustice, broken systems, favoritism and lack of transparency in leadership, we stomach them all, while waiting for a miracle to happen. 

That same Nigerian waiting for Nigeria to change for the better won’t hesitate to sell their votes to a politician they once called “corrupt.” Then, they’ll resume their prayers for a better Nigeria. My question is: why? 

Do we enjoy suffering? If change must come, shouldn’t it start with us? 

But a Nigerian will sell his vote and call his brother to come and sell his own too. 

“My friend, come o, this party is sharing ten thousand naira, the other one is sharing fifteen thousand naira, let’s go and vote for the higher one.” 

Words of a Nigerian waiting for a better Nigeria. 

We prefer temporary gratification over permanent solutions. We forget that there’s no end to problems. The people buying your votes today will be your nemesis tomorrow.

 

We queue for hours to vote, only to elect the same people we curse in private. We wait for justice, knowing it may never come. What then are we being patient for? 

Why We Endure What We Should Resist 

The truth is, most Nigerians need the money offered to them by politicians to solve pressing needs. Things are costly, and the money solves a problem, at least for the moment. 

Poverty, desperation and survival instincts override every civic responsibility. For the average citizen, it’s about grabbing what’s in front of them first, while hoping for something better later. 

We’ve been taught that suffering is noble, that endurance is strength. But endurance without direction is just stagnation. We’ve mastered the art of surviving dysfunction, but not the courage to dismantle it. 

We’ve also become overly religious, so that most of us are waiting for divine intervention. Meanwhile, we are the intervention we need.

 

Has hope become a weapon for survival? Are we praying for a change while avoiding the hard work of reform?

We want change, but not the discomfort that comes with it. We abandon movements when they don’t yield quick results. Why then are we still waiting for a better Nigeria? 

What Can Be Done?

Nigeria won’t change just because we want it to. It will change because we demand it, build it, and protect it. 

What’s the use of being patient if it isn’t channeled into the right place? Ignorance does nothing but fuel manipulation. 

It’s time to change the narrative. It’s time to redirect our energy. It’s time to be patient with the right things:

• Patience with building institutions 

• Patience with grassroots movements 

• Patience with long-term change. 

The same patience we use to endure suffering can be used to build a better Nigeria — only if we redirect it. 

• Bad governance deserves no patience. 

• Poor service deserves no patience.

• Injustice should be followed up with justice. 

• Broken systems deserve zero tolerance. 

The change starts with us. With our families. It all starts with a single effort. 

If you’re tired of waiting for change, maybe it’s time to stop waiting and start working. Not just for today, but for tomorrow. Not just for ourselves, but also for our children.