“The Grapes of Wrath are ripening, and the people are gathering, and the harvest is near, and the people will not be silenced” John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
In the bustling streets of Lagos, the cacophony of angry voices rises above the traffic’s din. A bus conductor hurls insults at passengers, while nearby, a market woman and her customer engage in a heated verbal duel. This scene, replicated across Nigeria, begs the question: “Why are Nigerians so aggressive?”
While this query might seem stereotypical, it carries a kernel of truth that demands exploration. Stereotypes, after all, have been described as truths taken too far. As we peel back the layers of this national temperament, we uncover a complex tapestry of factors, with one thread standing out prominently: bad governance.
At first glance, one might attribute this pervasive aggression to individual factors such as temperament, upbringing, or emotional distress. However, a panoramic view reveals a more insidious culprit. Bad leadership and corruption, long-standing issues in Nigeria, have reached a critical mass, pushing many citizens to the brink of lunacy.
Staring at the etymology of the word “lunatic,” offers an intriguing parallel to Nigeria’s current state. Derived from the Latin “lunaticus,” meaning “moon-struck,” it once described those believed to be affected by the moon’s influence.
In ancient times, people believed that the full moon had a profound influence on human behavior, particularly on the mentally unstable or those considered “mad.” This belief led to the notion that the full moon could trigger strange behavior, erratic actions, and even madness.
The term “lunatic” was first used in the 14th century to describe someone who was seen as “moon-struck” or affected by the moon’s supposed influence.
Over time, the word took on a broader meaning, encompassing a range of mental health conditions, including insanity, madness, and even epilepsy. Today, the term “lunatic” is largely considered outdated and insensitive, having been replaced by more accurate and respectful language in medical and everyday contexts. But to be called lunatic is to be called a mad fellow.
Lunacy in the case of Nigeria is not merely metaphorical. According to a 2023 World Health Organization report, a staggering 20% of Nigerians – approximately 40 million people – are affected by mental illness, with depression and anxiety leading the charge. This statistic isn’t a mere coincidence; it’s a direct reflection of the nation’s socio-economic turmoil.
The socio-economic situation has become so dire that it’s driving many Nigerians into a state of literal and figurative lunacy. The end products of bad governance – pain, hunger, and strife – have become so evident that many can no longer withstand the torture. It’s a powder keg of frustration, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
Daily, the gap between rich and poor widens like the chasm between heaven and earth, and many Nigerians find themselves trapped in a Sisyphean struggle. They toil endlessly, yet basic needs remain elusive. The current administration promised a “renewed hope” but it only rings hollow, manifesting instead as renewed hunger. How can one appeal to hunger to be patient?
It is worthy of note that every nation has its unique challenges both in the past and present, just as in “The Origin of Our Discontents”, Isabel Wilkerson weaves together history, and cultural critique to explore the legacy of racism and white supremacy in America and today, gun violence and political violence is taking the center stage in America.
In Nigeria, her troubles stem from a more fundamental issue. As Chinua Achebe astutely observed in “The Trouble with Nigeria,” the problem is “simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character, its land or its climate, water, air or anything else.”
This failure of leadership has pushed the nation to a tipping point. The rich may remain oblivious, encased in their privilege, just as Thomas Paine puts it that the law puts the King in a room with no windows yet expects him to see everything going on outside. But for the poor, the situation has become unbearable. The Nigerian nation now teeters on the edge of a minefield of madness and disaster.
The current administration has appealed to the nation for patience, but this plea falls on deaf ears when stomachs are empty and futures are bleak. How does one ask the poor to be patient with hunger? It’s a cruel irony that highlights the disconnect between those in power and the everyday Nigerian struggling to survive.
The onus now lies with Nigerian leaders to prevent the harvest of these ripening grapes of wrath. As Ernest Hemingway noted, “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” The question remains: Will Nigeria’s leaders distinguish themselves by steering the nation away from this precipice, or will they be remembered as the architects of its descent into lunacy?
As we stand at this crossroads, the choice between renewed hope and renewed despair hangs in the balance. The grapes of wrath continue to ripen, and time is running out. It’s up to Nigeria’s leaders to decide which harvest they wish to reap: a bountiful crop of progress and prosperity, or a bitter vintage of discontent and chaos. The time for action is now before the grapes of wrath are fully ripe and ready for a harvest that none can eat.
- Samuel Ameh is a journalist and researcher
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