Nigeria, a metaphorical middle passage

THE bus that was going to Oyingbo from Oshodi had lurched forward under the heavy weight of crowded passengers. Iya Adija, a trader, clutched her basket of tomatoes, worried they might spoil before she reached Oyingbo market. Chika, a young graduate scrolled endlessly through job listings on his mobile phone, each one asking for work “experience” that he does not have. Pa Musa, an elderly man in the bus grumbled bitterly about the hike in the price of fuel, moving from one seat to another and shaking his body in total annoyance. As the conductor announced another fare increase mid-way to the destination, a collective sigh and silence rented the overcrowded bus. No one spoke audibly, but their silence carried a shared understanding; everyone was in transit, uncertain when the journey would end or what awaited them. This bus, crowded and uncertain, captures today’s socio-economic conditions in Nigeria, a nation going through what can be called: A Metaphorical Middle Passage. It is a nation overwhelmed by hardship, reform resistance and cautious hope.

The Middle Passage explains a harrowing journey defined by suffering, uncertainty and the stripping away of human dignity when Africans were being shipped away into slavery in the Americas. It represents a period in which Africans were forced into a system that denied them agency and reduced their humanity. While Nigeria today is not experiencing slavery, the concept of a “metaphorical Middle Passage” offers a powerful lens through which one can examine the nation’s current socio-political realities. The current struggles faced by the general masses in Nigeria today mirror the psychological misfortune associated with that historical African enslavement. In this same light, the Nigerian nation is being put in a transitional condition, hanging in-between promises and despairs. Today, common men on the streets are facing future that is bleak, while inflation, unemployment and lack of opportunities are creating a milieu where survival mostly overshadowed aspirations. The university graduates, for instance, are roaming the streets looking for jobs that are not available, and families are struggling on daily basis to meet basic needs. This unstable economic situation is creating a motion without control, with journey becoming not one of progress, but of endurance.

Another perspective to this metaphorical allusion is the lack of trust in leadership and political institutions. In the Middle Passage, the passengers (slaves) had no control over the slave masters that are piloting the journey. Same goes for Nigeria where the masses are feeling disconnected from the political machines that should serve them; the common people are voiceless, and decisions that are made to shape their existence are made without their involvement. This is a sense of powerlessness that can reinforce the notion of a nation trapped in a passage where agency is limited. The stand here is to position Nigeria as a Metaphorical Middle Passage: a phrase that is used to mirror the nation’s current state of resilience and struggle, and to highlight the feelings of uncertainty and limited agency, and the risky journeys that are undertaken by those that ‘JAPA’ in search of better lives abroad. It is, however, worthy of acknowledging the strength of a people determined to move ahead. Comparable to the historical passage, Nigeria’s journey is difficult, but within it is the possibility of emergence into a more just and hopeful destination.

A nation in transit. Nigeria’s political and socio-economy milieu reflects a human space caught up in-between difficult reforms and urgent expectations. Economic restructuring, currency fluctuations, rising costs of living and recurrent insecurities have shaped daily existence of average Nigerians. At the same time, public discourses have intensified, with common man, civil society groups, labour union and other political actors, all demanding accountability and direction. As the political landscape remains dynamic, government functionaries emphasize structural reforms designed to stabilize the economy, but the opposition voices have continued to underscore the immediate hardship experienced by Nigerians. This tension has produced an atmosphere of both anxiety and democratic engagement.

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Some supporters of this existing regime have continued to highlight myriads of notable initiatives made by the government. Some of such initiatives highlighted include removal of fuel subsidy distortions aimed at freeing government resources, exchange rate reforms intended to unify the currency market and attract investors, infrastructure development efforts in roads, rails and energy, efforts toward tax reforms and revenue expansion, and attempts to expand social support programmes for vulnerable populations. All the above-mentioned palliatives reflect a willingness to confront long-standing structural weaknesses. The advocates of all these palliative efforts made so far by the government argue that the reforms, though painful, are necessary on a sustainable economic path. It is easy to pull down an outmoded house, but to rebuild it is always difficult. It will take a longer time.

On the other hand, the critics of the government engaged in making references to some of the shortcomings they have observed in the current political administration. These include rapid inflation eroding household purchasing power, limited social safety nets to cushion vulnerable citizens, persistent insecurity affecting mobility and life existence of the common man, centralized governance slowing local responsiveness, and communication gaps creating uncertainty and public distrust. From the angle of these critics, reforms have translated into immediate hardship without visible short-term relief for lots of people in Nigeria. In this situation, the Metaphorical Middle Passage has become not just a transition, but a test of endurance. The political actors across Nigeria have continued to negotiate influence and responsibility. The state governors are demanding for higher fiscal autonomy, legislators are debating constitutional amendments while regional elders are advocating for restructuring. These debates are pointing to a deeper structural issues, that is to say, the imbalance between central authority and subnational governance.

Above all else, a widely proposed solution is the devolution of power, which is, moving from the current quasi-federalism to true federalism. This proposal would entail greater fiscal autonomy for regional governments, decentralized policing to enhance local security, resource control balanced with national unity, regional economic planning based on comparative advantage, and reduced concentration of power at the centre. Genuine federalism would allow innovation at the regional level, encourage competition, and bring governance closer to the masses. The way forward for Nigeria is to emerge successfully from these political quagmires and the Metaphorical Middle Passage. In order to successfully achieve this, the existing leadership in Nigeria may consider gradual, but deliberate constitutional restructuring, expanded and transparent social protection programme, improved communication between the government and the masses of people, stronger institutional accountability, empowerment of regional economies, and inclusive national dialogue across political divides.

The summation is that Nigeria is standing at a crossroads, not in collapse, but in transition. The journey is difficult, the waters uncertain, and the destination not yet fully visible. Yet, with genuine devolution of power and a vouch for true federalism, Nigeria can still change this metaphorical middle passage into a virile political progress. Like the passengers on that crowded bus, Nigerians must continue to move ahead without being discouraged, with the hope that beyond the discomfort lies the arrival to a destination that is defined by equity, productivity, and shared prosperity.

•Elebute is a Professor of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. Resource Centre for Arts, Culture and Communication Development