I’m writing this essay in a vehicle, on the Ijebu Ode Benin Expressway, because my heart is heavy, and Nigeria is in deep pain. Today June 6th. 2025, our country is bleeding. The unusual presence of armed security men of all sorts, seemingly doing nothing more than extort, brought back to my mind: Just days ago, armed men killed 43 innocent Christians in Benue State. They shot people in their homes, chased families into wells, and hurt even pregnant women and a two-year-old child – all while soldiers nearby did nothing. At the same time, violent herder attacks killed over 50 people in the Northwest, and kidnappers are terrorizing Sokoto.
These aren’t just bad news stories. They’re signs that Nigeria is falling apart. Yet, the government is throwing parties to celebrate two years in power – two years of economy crashing, security disappearing, and broken promises.
This is what our elders mean by leaning on a “dead stump.” Nigeria feels like a rotten tree trunk – looks solid but is crumbling inside. Our leaders have let everything break down:
- Farmers bury children killed in land fights
- Doctors run away from hospitals falling apart
