How did the Niger Delta, one of the most naturally endowed regions in Africa, become a symbol of economic despair and social dysfunction? With an average multidimensional poverty score of 63.4%, six out of every ten people in this region live in abject poverty. This is not just a statistic, it’s a reality. The levels of economic inactivity, desperation, and hopelessness far exceed what any data can capture. The signs are visible, the pain is palpable.

Nigeria is sinking in poverty, desperation and crime but I am hoping that we still have a realistic chance to fight our way up towards the surface with a chance to swim towards the shore. Since independence, Nigeria has chronically poor economically and has rightfully earned the “Third World Economy” moniker despite it’s almost unlimited natural resources, in variety and volume.

There is a common phrase, “na my papa work?”, which has unfortunately become a casual justification for workplace fraudulent practices and Nigeria’s systemic corruption, disregard for the rule of law and social order. It reflects a deep-seated mindset, particularly among civil servants, the police, customs and excise and others who treat public duty as trivial and can be abused. To begin the process of meaningful change in our social and economic outcomes, we must first change this mindset.