Nigeria is a country of great potential but limited opportunities. It is the seventh most populous country in the world, with hundreds of languages spoken across its diverse communities. Often called the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria is a politically and economically significant country and the most populous Black nation on earth.

In a country where students are no longer allowed to write external examinations on their own, they are conditioned to pay for cheating, whether they like it or not. This resembles the actions of police officers on the roadside who check vehicle documents and collect bribes from those without the required documents. Elections are also manipulated. An election involves voting for candidates of one's choice, but in Nigeria, it sometimes seems to be an appointment of candidates, regardless of the number of votes cast.

That is the Nigeria we know, where corruption and bribery have become part of daily life. Nigerians may even say, “Bribery na normal thing naa.”

Just a few steps away from your house, you may realise the extent of hunger in Nigeria. Everywhere you go, what you hear most often is, “I never chop.” Poverty is widespread. Yet, Nigeria is richer in natural and economic potential than many countries in West Africa, while a significant proportion of its citizens continue to struggle with poverty.

How do you survive a twenty-four-hour cycle in Nigeria when the price of survival increases every sixty minutes? That is the Nigeria we know.

Inflation seems normal to us. We have endured and survived with our lifesaver, garri. Nigerians understand this struggle, but we still have hope because we know that “rice wey dey bottom pot today, go dey on top cooler tomorrow”, meaning no condition is permanent.

Imagine a graduate with a brilliant mind searching for a job but finding no employment. That is the Nigeria we know. Many graduates say, “School na scam”, meaning that education seems useless when it does not translate into opportunities. There is no steady electricity, no good roads, no effective educational system, and no well-structured healthcare system.

These are just some of the realities Nigerians have experienced and continue to survive.

Now, the question is: how do we turn today's survival mode into tomorrow's superpower?

The Nigeria We Dream Of

We dream of a country with good governance and leaders who truly understand what leadership means. We dream of a nation with abundant job opportunities to reduce poverty and improve the standard of living. We want good roads that make the transportation of goods and services easier, a society free from bribery and corruption, and a country where the rich no longer abuse the rights of the poor. We want innovation to become a priority and unity, progress, and success to become our shared goals.

This is the Nigeria we dream of.

In conclusion, change is possible, even in Nigeria. Be the change you want to see. The future of our nation is not in Canada or America; it is in our hands. Let us join hands to turn our dreams for Nigeria into reality.