“The danger is not in the abnormality itself, but in the silence that allows it to become routine,” so wrote Dr. Adaeze Okoro. To the social commentator, Femi Adebayo, “Where impunity reigns, the bizarre is merely the mundane in disguise.” These perspectives powerfully capture the erosion of moral and ethical benchmarks in Nigerian governance and public life, where widespread anomalies have become accepted realities, in many instances. Today, let’s reflect on the profound, long-term implications of Nigeria’s unique journey towards the normalization of abnormalities.
Do you know that the contradictions and confusions in how public issues are dealt with in Nigeria may deliberately or unconsciously be engineered to baffle the citizenry until they simply accept the absurd as the standard? The anonymous quotes frequently cited in local discourse – “If they explain Nigeria to you and you understand, it means they didn’t explain it well,” “if you can explain Nigeria, then you’re worse than Nigeria,” and “if you can understand Nigeria, it means you don’t understand” – express a population grappling with a governance structure built on paradox. This is evident in the jarring contradictions in the utterances and behaviours of the Nigeria political class, the judiciary, and various public servants, making understanding what the nation fundamentally stands for challenging. Imagine the recent debates over where those killed by bandits and terrorists come from and what they worship rather than the expected national alignment that shedding of innocent blood is abnormal? Imagine the message the released ambassadorial list communicates about our national values? Imagine a nation that waited for president Trump’s tweet to recognize the bizarre security situation in the country? Imagine the political elites preaching austerity while displaying reckless opulence, and the judiciary delivering conflicting judgments on similar offences. Imagine the perceived inconsistency in government treatment of people who commit the same or similar crimes on the basis of religion, political connection, or tribal affiliation? This may signal that justice is negotiable, accelerating the normalization process of what should be universally condemned.
So, enhance your capacity to discern truth from engineered and systemic chaos, to hold onto objective standards of right and wrong, even when the environment actively tries to dissolve them. Let this necessary internal resilience be the first line of defence against collective resignation, requiring us to dedicate ourselves to strengthening institutions that demand transparent accountability from the political class, the judiciary, and the public service. We must actively reject the prevailing inconsistency in the application of law, irrespective of the perpetrator’s connection by insisting on equal treatment before the law for all citizens. Let’s pursue a society where what is wrong is treated as wrong irrespective of who is involved or benefits. Let the call to action be to become an active purveyor of normalcy. Let’s recognize that due process, transparency, and equity are non-negotiable standards, and start the difficult work of de-normalizing corruption, impunity, and the acceptance of the bizarre as inevitable.
As you step out each day, remember that abnormality normalized is not destiny, but a state we can collectively resist through principled action. Your refusal to participate in the compromise of values is a powerful force for systemic change and the renewal of national integrity. Let your actions, however small, be a consistent affirmation that fairness, truth, and accountability are the only standards worthy of a great nation.
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Esang Esitikot is a professor of occupational health and safety, a COREN-registed chemical engineer, public affairs analyst, UN Ambassador for Peace, certified management consultant, World Safety Organization Ambassador, recognized Environmental Ambassador, marriage counsellor, youth mentor, reviewer for international research journals and volunteer lecturer at the Institute of Health, Safety, Security and Environment, University of Uyo. He is a manager in the oil and gas industry and was recognized by Highstone Global University, USA as the occupational health and safety personality of 2024. He can be contacted via 08035103559 (Whatsapp only) or email (esitikot@gmail.com).
