Odita Sunday 
By Laurence Izegbu
I’ve observed something quite telling: our local government representatives hardly ever engage in online conflicts, even when they have differing views.
It’s often the civilians who end up fighting and at each other’s throats. It’s a horrible and unfortunate state of affairs.
The crux of Nigeria’s stunted growth lies in the complicity of its citizenry. Despite leaders’ acknowledgments of governance shortcomings and resource mismanagement.
The masses persist in defending those who fail to deliver basic necessities. Roads are dilapidated, leaving vehicles stranded; electricity is a luxury, crippling local businesses; healthcare facilities are ill-equipped; schools are crumbling; and insecurity plagues rural areas, paralyzing agricultural productivity.
Meanwhile, government coffers are raided to fund lavish events, like birthday while essential services languish underfunded- SHAME ,!
Take Delta State, for instance, which contributes nearly 25% of Nigeria’s oil output, second only to Akwa Ibom. Yet, the Ndokwa region, where this oil is produced, is a picture of neglect. Basic amenities are lacking, and there’s a glaring absence of development.
What’s even more striking is that people from this region are in government, yet they seem to be met with applause rather than protest. A visit to Sterling Global in Kwale paints a stark picture. Where are the representatives of Ndokwa nation at the assembly? What’s happening to the oil wealth that’s supposed to uplift this region?
The travesty is that those most afflicted by these systemic failures are often the most ardent defenders of the status quo.
This paradox underscores Nigeria’s woeful narrative: a populace ensnared in a cycle of suffering and complicity, inadvertently perpetuating the very leadership that perpetuates their hardship.
In advanced economies, public officials are held to a higher standard; a hint of impropriety or lavish lifestyle sparks outrage and demands for resignation. In Nigeria, public officers flunt opulence, are feted with national awards, and the suffering masses continue to defend and praise them.
Government officials attend events of people who are in Government, budgeting hundreds of millions to support their colleague while the poor who voted them to power continue to suffer.
The stupidity of many Nigerians is alarming.
Until the ordinary man begin to ask their representatives how much was budgeted to their local government for development and stop praising people spending the money meant for development Nigeria will continue to decay.
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