The dilemma of Nigerians in Nigeria

The social ontology and the social structure of Nigeria reveal in a naked  form the dilemma in which an average Nigerian living in Nigeria is presented  with. An average Nigerian finds himself/herself positioned in between the red sea and the devil. The Nigerian social ontology exalts money as the ideal and idolized those who meet this ideal, condemning those who are unfortunate to  meet it to the status of nonentities. Since no sane person would want to be seen as a nonentity, he/she would strive to become (somebody) by attaining the standard of measure of the ideal (wealth). Every Nigerian therefore craves after wealth to ‘become.’ He is however, limited by the social structure of Nigeria. The social structure of Nigeria is so closed up that  the legitimate means of attaining wealth in the country are closed up to  many. Only those who are related or close to a cabal or a well placed individual could get wealthy easily. Thus, an average Nigerian who does not  have a well placed relative or friend ends up being caught up between two  evil – to remain a nonentity for life or to go the corrupt way to amass  wealth in order to gain recognition. Most Nigerians have chosen this last option, pointing to the reason why Nigeria has remained one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Nigeria has been named among the ten most corrupt nations by the anti-corruption organisation for about two decades now. The corruption that has plagued Nigeria today is therefore, a result of the idolization of money as well as the closure of the legitimate means of  arriving at this idolized ideal. This paper would be arguing for dissolution of both the social ontology and social structure presently ruling Nigeria, so  as corrupt free society could emerge.