Written by Prof. Mannixs E. Paul, PhD, FCFIP, FCIML, FCECFI, FFAR
Nigeria stands at a defining crossroads. We must rise—not just to face today’s challenges but to prepare for tomorrow’s responsibilities. It is time to awaken our national conscience and think beyond mere survival. We must shift our mindset from short-term escapes like corruption and nepotism to long-term, meaningful solutions rooted in truth, sacrifice, and integrity. These solutions could be investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure and promoting transparency in governance.
We can no longer afford a culture that celebrates shortcuts and mistakenly rewards cunning for wisdom. This mindset does not build a nation—it tears it down. When people choose the easy way out, ignoring what is right, we build a future on fragile ground. If the foundation is wrong, the structure will not stand. If the premise is flawed, the conclusion will always be wrong.
Greed is a destructive force—not just morally but socially and economically. It eats away at justice, equity, and unity. When self-interest becomes the norm, the result is widespread insecurity, growing poverty, and broken trust between people and institutions.
Policies must change, and governments and institutions must be held accountable. But the more profound truth is this: none of these structures exist in isolation. They are made up of citizens—of us. We, the people, build, occupy, and sustain these systems through our participation, votes, and demands for accountability. Again, we, the people, must lead the way in transformation.
No government can succeed if citizens are disengaged, dishonest, or indifferent. The citizen is the first line of both the problem and the solution. It starts in our homes, streets, schools, and marketplaces. That is where character is formed, values are passed down, and real change begins.
Each citizen has the power to shape their own destiny. Let no one allow themselves to be used as a means to someone else’s end. Use and abandonment is real. History is full of regrets from those who compromised their conscience for temporary gain, only to be discarded and forgotten. Please don’t become the cautionary tale others use to warn their children. Do the right thing—not for applause but for peace of mind. In doing what is right, you stand tall before God and humanity. No wealth is more significant than your integrity, and no inheritance is more honorable than a good name.
Do not shame your posterity by the choices you make today. Life does not end today. One day, your children or grandchildren will walk in your legacy. Let them walk in freedom, not in the shadows of your regret. Let your decisions be a bridge, not a burden.
Mass orientation is needed, yes—but more than that, we need inspiration from within. By ‘mass orientation,’ I mean a collective reorientation towards integrity, responsibility, and collective action. We must remember who we are and what we’re capable of when we act with courage and conviction. We need leaders who live humbly and citizens who stand firmly for truth. If we want a better Nigeria, we must become better Nigerians.
Let us stop waiting for the rescue from above. Let us look within and around us—because we are not powerless. We have influence. We have voices. And we have the responsibility to act. Let us build not only strong institutions but strong hearts. Let us rise—not alone, but together, as a united force for change.
Let us save ourselves by doing what is right. Let us choose integrity. Let us choose each other. For in doing so, we choose Nigeria.
Courtesy of MEFoundation