By Akoko Benita Osagioduwa.
In recent years, our beloved Nigeria has witnessed a troubling trend, the abandonment of traditional, customs, values and norms in favor of different relentless pursuit of material wealth. This shift has not only led to significant social and economic harm but has also fostered a Blame Game.
Let's take our minds back to the days of old, the days of our fathers where customs and value shaped the Nigerian society. Where skills and trades passed down through generations, held significant places in the hearts of people. The Nigeria where a strong sense of teamwork, community and belonging kept people together with the common goal of collective growth. However the continuous pursuit of material wealth has gradually eroded these foundation giving rise to envy and undermining the very fabric of the Nigerian society.
This envy has pushed individuals to engage in unethical processes to acquire riches, leading to a dangerous "anything goes"mentality. This envy is further fueled by the society worshiping wealth, the society that has forgotten the ways of old that now praise those who amass fortune without questioning the source has eroded moral values and devalued honest labor. The emphasis on material wealth has brought us to this Nigeria, the Nigeria of Blame Game.
This Nigeria of Blame Game has fueled corruption, social vices and is a host of evil plague in the Nigeria society but yet the Blame Game is running as Nigerians apportion the blame to the government. This singular focus of directing the blame has obscured the reality that Nigeria operate in a mixed economy - a system where both government and private individuals share responsibility for the economic outcome of the nation.
This Blame Game has clouded our collective reasoning, leading to a desperate search for magical solution while we neglect the crucial need to retrace our steps and identify where we collectively went wrong.