I recently watched a video that struck a deep chord. It was one of those feel-good stories: Asherkine, a social media influencer, and a forex trading company visited a small community in Jos, Plateau State. They came bearing gifts — food, school supplies, scholarships, and they even renovated the local school.
As if that weren’t enough, they also commissioned a borehole to provide potable water to the community, which had apparently gone without one for who knows how long. It was hard to miss the overwhelming joy in the eyes of the villagers. They danced and sang, grateful for the intervention.
But as I watched, a question nagged at me: Where is the local government in all this? Shouldn’t these be basic services provided by the state? Why did it take a stranger to ensure the children had a proper school and the community had drinking water? What exactly is the government doing? Read also: The mindful leader: Finding balance between self-love and selfishness This isn’t an isolated incident. Across Nigeria, countless communities and individuals rely on private interventions — donations from companies, charitable acts from individuals, and religious organisations stepping in to fill gaps where the government has failed. We see it all the time, and while it’s heartwarming to witness people coming together to help one another, it also highlights the gaping hole left by those elected to serve the interests of the people.
The economic situation in Nigeria has worsened fo.