The lazy Nigerian youth

I am always fascinated by how people think: “How did you come to the conclusion that this is the best course of action to take?”.  Aside from a few uncontrollable factors, most outcomes are the result of our actions and inactions.

To put this into context, let’s consider the economic and financial situation of most Nigerians.

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (www.nigerianstat.gov.ng), 63% of Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. Similarly, The African Report cites the World Bank’s October 2024 data, stating that over 56% of Nigerians live below the poverty line.

It’s worth noting that getting accurate data in Nigeria is challenging for various reasons, so these numbers could very well be below the actual figures.

After several years of observation and having conversations with Nigerians, I have come to a conclusion that a significant number of Nigerians, both young and old are lazy.

In hindsight, I might owe former President Muhammadu Buhari an apology for disputing his infamous comment about Nigerian youths being lazy. Looking around, it’s hard to deny the evidence.

Don’t get me wrong, there are Nigerians who are breaking their backs to improve their lives, defying odds stacked high against them. But the brutal reality remains that a large proportion have settled into patterns of mediocrity and complacency.

Several factors, in my opinion, contribute to this phenomenon. They include and are not limited to:

• Mental Laziness
• Communal Lifestyle
• Religion
• Physical Laziness
• Greed
• Low preference for truth

Mental Laziness

I have observed a resistance to critical thinking and innovation. Many prefer to follow the crowd rather than carve their own paths. They avoid challenging their minds with new information, clinging to familiar ways, even when there is ample evidence that the “old ways” aren’t productive.

Communal Lifestyle

The communal lifestyle, despite its advantages, has significant downsides. One such drawback is a culture that often prioritizes dependency over self-sufficiency, creating a cycle of reliance.

People in this culture tend to self-destruct because they are assured of communal support: “My family and friends will save me, so I can make reckless decisions without considering the consequences”.

Additionally, the communal lifestyle breeds entitlement. Once these “rescue teams” decides they have had enough, the dependent individual feels wronged, as though their rights have been denied.

There’s a saying: “Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men and weak men create hard times.” The communal lifestyle in Africa creates weak men.

Religion

Many Nigerians frequently use religion as an excuse for inaction, replacing effort with faith in achieving goals. Instead of establishing logical steps to achieve their objectives, they rely entirely on divine intervention.

James 2:14-17, underscores that faith alone is insufficient: “Faith without works is dead”. Similarly, John 9:4, emphasizes duty and responsibility, suggesting the neccessity of dedication to achieve goals. 

Physical Laziness

An unwillingness to do the hard, necessary work to change one’s circumstances is common. Personally, I have encountered many individuals interested in tech jobs solely for the potential earnings. However, they often lack the patience and dedication required for self-improvement. 

To increase one’s earning potential, one must enhance the value they provide, which requires investing in self-development. Unfortunately, many Nigerians shy away from this path, leading me to my next point.

Greed

The pursuit of shortcuts and quick gains, often at the expense of sustainable success, is rampant. Many individuals engage in activities such as sports bettings, yahoo, ponzi schemes, and more, while hypocritically condemning other vices. 

These same individuals often use their position to extort and exploit struggling victims. Nigerians love wealth without enterprise, valuing the end more than the means.

Low preference for truth

This challenge is not peculiar to Nigeria or Africa; it is a global phenomenon. However, the focus of this discussion is Nigeria.

Many Nigerians claim to value the truth but often prefer it to be euphemized or sugar-coated. This tendency undermines the urgency of addressing critical issues, as sugar-coating allows problems to be dismissed or swept under the carpet.

Truth-tellers are often victimized and perceived as rebellious, starting from the family unit and extending to the corporate and political spheres

Conclusion

The purpose of this article is not to attack but inspire reflection. Are we truly living up to our potential, or are we drowning in excuses? It’s time for us to ask the hard questions and challenge ourselves to do better.