Nigeria Won’t Change If We Only Complain
By Blessing Omolola Oladapo
Every day, Nigerians complain about the state of the nation. We complain about the cost of living, insecurity, poor roads, unemployment, the education system and the quality of leadership. We complain at home, in offices, in schools, at bus stops and, of course, across social media. But beyond the complaints lies an important question: what are we, as citizens, doing about the problems we constantly talk about?
It is easy to believe that the responsibility of fixing Nigeria belongs entirely to those in government. After all, they make the policies, control public resources and occupy positions of authority. But a nation is more than its government. It is made up of the people who live in it. This means that building a better Nigeria cannot be the responsibility of government alone; citizens must also be willing to participate.
Democracy should not begin and end with voting during elections. Voting is only one part of being an active citizen. Citizens should also be interested in what happens after elections. We should ask questions about government policies, demand accountability, participate in community development and speak up when something is wrong. If citizens remain silent after choosing their leaders, they cannot expect those leaders to always know or address every problem affecting them.
However, citizen participation should not be mistaken for constantly criticising the government. Constructive criticism is different from simply complaining.
A responsible citizen does not only point out what is wrong but also contributes ideas and supports reasonable efforts to make things better. In our communities, for example, people can organise sanitation exercises, support vulnerable neighbours, volunteer in schools or health programmes, and participate in initiatives that improve their immediate environment. These actions may appear small, but national development is built from many small contributions.
I particularly agree with the writer’s discussion of the role of young Nigerians. Young people make up a significant part of Nigeria’s population and are among the most active users of digital platforms.
This gives us an opportunity to influence public conversations in ways that were not possible in the past. With just a smartphone and an internet connection, an individual can draw attention to an injustice, educate others, support a cause or demand accountability.
But this freedom also comes with responsibility. Social media has made it easy for information to travel quickly, but not every piece of information shared online is true. Sometimes, people forward messages without checking their sources simply because the information is shocking or agrees with their personal opinions. Unfortunately, misinformation can create fear, damage reputations and deepen divisions within society.
As young Nigerians, we must therefore learn to use our voices responsibly. Before sharing a sensitive story, video or political claim, we should ask ourselves whether it is true, whether it is necessary to share and whether it could cause unnecessary harm.
Having freedom of expression does not mean that we should abandon responsibility. We can disagree with one another without insulting, attacking or deliberately misleading others.
There is also a need for government to understand that citizen participation works best when citizens feel heard. People are more willing to participate when they believe that their opinions matter. Trust between government and citizens cannot be demanded; it must be earned through transparency, accountability and consistent engagement.
Government agencies should therefore create more opportunities for citizens, especially young people, to contribute to decisions that affect them. Listening to citizens should not be seen as a favour but as an important part of democratic governance. At the same time, citizens must be willing to engage respectfully and constructively rather than only becoming interested when there is a crisis.
Nigeria belongs to all of us. Government has a responsibility to lead, but citizens have a responsibility to participate. We cannot continue to sit back, complain about the state of the nation and assume that someone else will fix everything. The Nigeria we desire will require the combined efforts of government, communities, young people, professionals, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens.
Ultimately, citizen participation is not about trying to replace government. It is about recognising that development is a shared responsibility. If we want better leadership, we must be willing to demand accountability. If we want better communities, we must be willing to contribute to them. If we want a better future, we must be willing to take part in building it.
The future of Nigeria should not be something we only discuss and complain about. It should be something we actively participate in creating.
Blessing Omolola Oladapo, is a student of Yakubu Gowon University from the Department of Strategic communication
She can be reached at [email protected]
