By Lawrence Egede
Nigeria today stands at a dangerous crossroads where politics has ceased to be a tool for service and has instead become a marketplace for personal enrichment. Governance, which should represent stewardship, vision, and sacrifice, is now largely perceived as an avenue for wealth accumulation. This shift has deeply wounded the nation’s moral, economic, and social foundations.
Politics in Nigeria has gradually replaced patriotism. Rather than leaders committing themselves to national development, many have turned public office into a commercial venture.
The result is a system where access to power determines access to wealth, and where political relevance outweighs productivity, creativity, and innovation. In this marketplace of politics, loyalty is traded, conscience is sold, and national interest is often the least profitable commodity.
The consequences of this trend are visible in the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians. The cost of living continues to rise beyond the reach of the average citizen. Basic necessities such as food, transportation, housing, healthcare have become luxuries.
Inflation has not only weakened purchasing power but has also destroyed hope, forcing people into relentless struggle just to survive. Life has turned into a continuous race against hunger, bills, and uncertainty.
As survival becomes harder, desperation grows. Many Nigerians are pushed into activities they would never have considered under a functional economic system. Criminality, fraud, and violence are no longer isolated problems; they have become symptoms of a society under extreme pressure. When hard work no longer guarantees dignity, and honesty no longer ensures survival, social order begins to collapse.
Ironically, while the masses suffer, political elites appear insulated from these realities. Lavish lifestyles, public displays of wealth, and unchecked privileges contrast sharply with the poverty surrounding them. This gap between leaders and the led fuels anger, resentment, and distrust. Wealth has become the new measure of authority, turning those with money into “lords” over those without it.
Nigeria has also become a consuming nation rather than a producing one. With political power attracting most investments and attention, productive sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and innovation are neglected.
The economy tilts heavily toward consumption financed by debt, corruption, and resource exploitation, further weakening national resilience.
Historically, Nigeria experienced periods when leadership, though imperfect, encouraged productivity and moderation. Businesses thrived, communities were more stable, and economic participation was broader.
Today, however, prosperity is closely tied to political proximity, leaving millions excluded from genuine economic opportunity.
This systemic failure has wider implications. Rising insecurity, terrorism, and social fragmentation have drawn international attention and raised concerns about Nigeria’s sovereignty. Weak leadership and internal disunity create openings for external influence, echoing fears of neo-colonial interference in a nation that once fought hard for independence.
Nigeria’s struggle is no longer just economic but it is existential. A country cannot survive when its politics becomes a marketplace and its people become merchandise. The path forward requires leadership that values service over self, productivity over profit, and patriotism over politics.
Until Nigeria removes governance from the market stall and restores it to its rightful place as a public trust, the struggle for survival will continue. And history will not hesitate to judge those who chose wealth over the well-being of the nation.
