Instead of Nigerians facing their problems, they are committing suicide. I’m praying for you so that you will continue to commit suicide so that one day I’ll wake up, and all of you have died. I can now enjoy the benefits of your death by speaking those things.”
Lagos, Nigeria – Rotimi Amaechi, the former Minister of Transport in the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, has harshly criticized Nigerians for their passivity and tolerance of political malpractice. He made this scathing statement during his address as a guest at the 2023 TheNiche Annual Lecture held in Lagos on Friday.
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Amaechi’s comments reflected his frustration with what he perceives as Nigerians’ indifference to the corrupt practices of politicians. He pointed out that politicians often engage in wrongdoing, yet people continue to support and vote for them. Amaechi stated, “Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Tell me one politician who says he is not a thief. Tell me one. Which politician told you he went to the university? Which politician told you he served in NYSC? Which politician told you he has a certificate? Nigerians know and still vote for them. So what’s your problem?”
Expressing his disbelief at the situation, Amaechi continued, “Instead of Nigerians facing their problems, they are committing suicide. I’m praying for you so that you will continue to commit suicide so that one day I’ll wake up, and all of you have died. I can now enjoy the benefits of your death by speaking those things.”
Amaechi further emphasized the apparent complacency of Nigerians in the face of political misconduct. He argued that Nigerians chose who to believe and vote for, even when faced with glaring issues. He remarked, “Nigerians chose who to believe and not to believe. They chose who to vote and who not to vote. Even if you go to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing bothers you. Nothing. So why do I waste my time?”
He contrasted this with the active resistance seen in other African countries like Ghana and Kenya, suggesting that Nigerians often take a more laid-back approach, believing that time will resolve political issues.
Contrary to Amaechi’s claims of Nigerians’ passivity, the country has a history of standing up against authoritarian rule to restore democracy. Notably, Nigerian youth led the #EndSARS movement in 2020, protesting against extortion, extrajudicial killings, and brutality by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force. However, this movement faced violent suppression, including the use of force by the government.
Amaechi’s comments came amid a certificate forgery scandal involving President Bola Tinubu, which generated considerable attention. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court recently affirmed Tinubu’s electoral victory, rejecting new evidence related to the certificate forgery obtained from Chicago State University by opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar.
