By Gbeminiyi Adegbola
One of the defining strengths of Western societies, particularly the British, is their value orientation. As an immigrant seeking permanent residency in the United Kingdom, you are required to take the “Life in the UK” test. This exam is not about academic prowess but about your understanding of British values, customs, and societal expectations. It is designed to ensure that you can integrate seamlessly into a system built on collective responsibility and civic-mindedness.
At the heart of British values is a deeply held principle: putting the common good and national interest above personal gain. It’s a value instilled through generations, where citizens are taught to think not just of themselves, but of others and of their shared society. It is this spirit that sustains their institutions and fuels national progress.
In Nigeria, however, the opposite is tragically the norm.
We have built a culture that glorifies individual survival at the expense of collective well-being. Almost everyone is complicit, rich or poor, religious or secular, educated or not. The average Nigerian is primarily concerned with his personal comfort. As long as he is fine, the state of his neighbor, his community, or even his country hardly matters.
Let me share an experience.
I once walked past a church in my neighborhood where the pastor was leading a prayer session. The topic? Nigeria’s economic crisis. His prayer point went like this: “Pray that no matter how bad Nigeria becomes, you and your family will survive. Even if garri becomes more expensive than gold, you will afford it. Even if the whole nation is hungry, the sons and daughters of Zion here will never go hungry.”
I paused in disbelief.
It was a vivid reflection of how deeply this selfish mentality has permeated our religious and cultural psyche. Instead of praying for a better nation where no one has to suffer, we ask God to help us rise above the ruins while everyone else sinks. How do we expect a nation to thrive when its citizens wish only to escape its collapse, rather than repair it?
The Nigerian response to systemic failure is always self-centered. If the roads are bad, we buy SUVs. If there is no electricity, we purchase generators. If there’s no running water, we dig boreholes. We insulate ourselves from the consequences of a failed system, and in doing so, reinforce that very failure. We stop demanding better because we’ve found ways to fend for ourselves, leaving everyone else behind.
This pattern reveals a deeper national sickness: a corrosive culture of individualism rooted in greed, apathy, and an utter lack of social conscience. We have normalized a way of life where “me, myself, and I” trumps any sense of national identity or community spirit.
But a society built on selfishness is doomed to fail. No matter how high your fence is, you cannot live in peace if the neighborhood is on fire. Until we begin to think beyond ourselves and act in the interest of others, until we realize that true prosperity is shared, not hoarded, we will continue to spin in circles of dysfunction.
Having a political loyalty that deafened and blinds isn’t surprising though, the syndrome is overarchingly prevalent in our society. The time has come to confront this callous culture. Not just in our politics, but in our pulpits, our homes, and within ourselves.
Gbeminiyi Adegbola, Ph.D. wrote in from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
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