The average Nigerian spends his or her day, surmounting challenges. And even if we do complain, it is pretty much that… complaining. No action is taken to force those responsible for our current plight to address them.
We simply keep soldiering on whilst all around us continues to collapse as if helpless, often calling on God to come to our rescue. Who made us this way? Our Education system, that’s what.
In our Nigerian public schools, the concept of having an opinion and daring to express it is severely frowned upon and actively discouraged. Our children are raised to shut up and make themselves smaller and adapt to adversity. The most repeated phrase is “keep quiet!” and if this is not adhered to, then they are sure to get a good whooping. This apparently is discipline.
The message is that they are basically irritants. This pattern carries on through university where they are regularly failed for no valid reason by incompetent and sadistic lecturers. As usual, silence is maintained and no action taken as it may affect their chances of graduating.
No matter what injustice we face, we are warned of a greater one if we dare to speak out or take action against the perpetrators. This may be the reason we have this unrivalled and unhelpful ability to adjust to any kind of bad situation or trauma without ever making any effort to revolt or change the status quo.
Across the pond, children are trained differently. They are regularly asked their opinions on all matters, encouraged to speak up in the face of adversity. Told that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to do. They grow up to be assertive, confident and bold. Fearlessly challenging authority when the need arises.
While we engage in our passive-aggressive class, religious warfare, those in power continue to do as they like safe in the knowledge that the seeds of our immolation have been planted right from our childhood rendering us powerless and at their mercy!
