Oshobor Conditioning ourselves to a point where struggle seems normal is not the benchmark for human strength. Neither should it be glamorized. Humans are inherently programmed to adapt, but the fact that normalizing suffering has become our default is thought-provoking.

The average Nigerian gets out of bed in the morning already dreading the rest of their day. They anticipate the adversities they need to overcome within the span of a day. From the endless hours spent in traffic to suboptimal working conditions, “nothing in Nigeria works,” they say, but who could blame them? These discrepancies have become so dominant in our society to the point of normalcy. We grumble and we stomp our feet, but after a muffled rebellion, we shrug our shoulders and proceed with our regular dealings.

How much strive is too much strive? When will our tolerance for mediocrity reach its threshold? Regrettably, many Nigerians have lost hope. They believe the light at the end of the tunnel is just an optical illusion and nothing more. Why bother betting on a dying horse? However, that could not be further from the truth. While minuscule, there is a glimmer of hope that proves Nigeria is not a lost cause.

(The EndSARS protest of 2020 showed not just Nigerians, but the world at large that there is need for a change in the country and we are willing to fight for it.) Our fight for liberation should not end there. Each and everyone of us has a role to play in the ushering in of a new Nigeria. A Nigeria where constant electricity is not a pipe dream, where decent healthcare doesn’t require breaking the bank. The 2023 presidential election is fast- approaching and you need to vote. For the longest time, the downtrodden believed Nigeria belonged to the affluent, but all that is about the change. YOU have the power to make that change, so why not use it? Lend your voice to the cause by voting for who can make Nigeria a great nation. Together, we can forge a path of prosperity in Nigeria that transcends this generation and the next.