“To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead,” observed Thomas Paine. Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously noted, “Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.” These insights highlight the intellectual bankruptcy of using insults to bridge the gap where logic and evidence are missing. Today, let’s reflect on the unfortunate adoption of abuse as a political argument within the Nigerian landscape.
Do you know that abuse is gradually being entrenched as the standard political response to citizen enquiries, creating a toxic barrier between the governed and those in power? In the current Nigerian political environment, whenever a citizen challenges a leader to action, asks a probing question regarding public expenditure, or critiques a failing social programme, the response is rarely a finesse-filled defence or an articulation of policy goals. Instead, what we witness is a litany of vitriol from a growing crowd of sycophants and idle political jobbers who, ironically, are often the primary victims of the very systemic failures they are defending. As Mary Efombruh rightly observed, these praise singers move in batches, echoing recycled talking points with no original thought, performing a “strange kind of degradation of public discourse.” This shift from intellectual engagement to verbal assault signifies a dulling of the national collective brain, where physical might and shouting are prioritized over the power of intellect and the virtues of accountability. When public discourse is reduced to coordinated attempts to distract from the truth, the essence of democracy – which thrives on the embrace of critique as an essential part of good governance – is systematically dismantled, leaving the populace in a state of deep trouble.
So, enhance your capacity to demand a leadership culture that is rooted in sound reasoning, seasoned judgment, and the dignity of labour rather than the indulgence of sycophancy. We must collectively transition away from a political environment where citizens must backbite or outdo one another in praise-singing just to find favour or access common resources. It is time to seek leaders who act as good stewards and who possess the emotional intelligence to view accountability not as a personal attack, but as a mandate for transparency. This requires us to champion the creation of conditions where those currently employed as professional abusers can find dignifying jobs that contribute to national development instead of eroding the quality of our public conversations. We must remind those in power that abuse is not an argument and requires no virtue to display; it is merely a shield for those with limited capacity to think or defend their actions. By insisting on excellence in the defence of public policy and refusing to be silenced by the noise of the “batches,” we can begin to restore the depth and honesty required to fix the Nigerian state.
As you step out each day, remember that your voice is a tool for progress only when it is used to seek truth and demand genuine service. Refuse to be intimidated by the coordinated energy of those who have traded their perspective for a performance of loyalty. Ultimately, let us strive for a nation where the strength of one’s argument, rather than the volume of one’s abuse, defines the quality of our leadership.
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Esang Esitikot is a professor of occupational health and safety, a registered chemical engineer, public affairs analyst, UN Ambassador for Peace, certified management consultant, World Safety Organization Ambassador, Environmental Ambassador, 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).
