Currency over Character: How Nigeria Rewarded Wealth and Forgot Integrity in our Today’s Society.

Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

In today’s Nigeria, wealth has become the defining metric of value, not INTEGRITY, not PATRIOTISM, not INNOVATION, not SERVICE to COMMUNITY. Whether in politics, social circles and in churches, Nigerians have elevated MONEY above MORALS, RICHES above RIGHTEOUSNESS and LUXURY above LEGACY. We worship the rich, regardless of how they made their wealth. We sing praises for criminals in agbada, roll out red carpets for looters and even allow drug barons and fraudsters to define the standards of success. This dangerous social erosion has triggered a national identity crisis, one where the HONEST are MOCKED and the CORRUPT are IDOLIZED. How did we get here?

A Culture of Financial Worship. From the beer parlors in Lagos to the political rallies in Kano, the most consistent measure of respect in Nigeria today is money. It does not matter how it is made, (CYBER-FRAUD, LOOTING GOVERNMENT FUNDS, DRUG-TRAFFICKING, RITUAL-KILLINGS/ BLOOD-MONEY) what matters is that you can “spray” bundles of naira in public. Once you have money, pastors give you front-row seats in churches, politicians beg for your endorsement, musicians mention your name in their songs and your sins are forgiven with a smiling face. We are now a country where “I better pass my neighbor” is not about humility or effort, but about showing off wealth that often comes from suspicious sources. The moral compass of the average Nigerian has been distorted by financial desperation and a lack of consequence for bad behavior.

The Political Arena, a Market of Madness. Nigerian politics today is not a place for statesmen, it is a jungle for the highest spender. A candidate’s manifesto is less important than the rice and cash he distributes. Votes are sold like tomatoes in the market. The electorate demands money in exchange for loyalty, and politicians, in return, loot public coffers to recover their “INVESTMENT.” It is a VICIOUS CYCLE of ROT. Take the example of the 2023 general elections. Several candidates with clear criminal pasts or poor records in governance were overwhelmingly supported because they were wealthy. Many were even celebrated as “SMART” or “SHARP” simply for outwitting the system. “Any man wey no get money for Nigeria no fit talk,” this is the reflecting sad truth; MONEY, not MORALS, is POWER. As Nigerian music icon African China bitterly sang in his early 2000s protest anthem: “Poor man wey thief maggi dem go show him face for crime fighter… but rich man wey thief money na dem dem dey call oga…” This lyric still echoes today; poor people are shamed publicly, while the rich who steal billions are praised, given national honors and even elected into public office. This double standard has become normalized in Nigerian society.

In the Social Space: Influencers over Intellectuals. Social media has made this financial worship even worse. Nigerian influencers flaunt luxury lifestyles paid for by fraud, yet they are invited to high-level events and brand endorsements. We have normalized mediocrity and elevated vanity. A PhD holder earning an honest living gets less respect than a flamboyant fraudster in designer shoes. Honest hard work is mocked and words like “LEGIT” are said with pity, “you still dey do legit work in this economy?” From slay queens sleeping with politicians to politicians looting money meant for the people, money has become the altar we sacrifice our values on. In the words of David Hundeyin, Nigerian investigative journalist/global analyst: “The fastest way to become IRRELEVANT in Nigeria is to insist on INTEGRITY. This country respects AUDACITY not HONESTY.” Hundeyin’s words are a reflection of the harsh reality that Nigerian society punishes those who play by the rules.

Diaspora Voices: Shame Abroad, Glory at Home.
Ironically, many Nigerians who are disgraced abroad for fraud or money laundering become local heroes when they return home. A Nigerian caught with drugs in Indonesia might face the death penalty, if he survives and returns, he’ll be welcomed like a king in his village. We do not care about the source; we just want to see money. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave, once warned: “If we keep choosing men with no conscience to lead us just because they have cash, our nation will keep bleeding GENIUS to other nations.” That is the tragedy. While other countries are building the future with talent, Nigeria is losing hers to a value crisis.

Why Did This Happen? Several factors contributed to this national tragedy ie,

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP: With over 63% of Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, people have become desperate. Survival not dignity, becomes the goal. As a result, anyone who escapes poverty (legally or illegally) becomes a role model.

FAILED INSTITUTIONS: The judiciary is compromised, the police are bribable and anti-corruption agencies often act as political weapons. When institutions fail to punish bad behavior, society begins to see crime as a smart move.

BROKEN VALUE SYSTEM: Parents no longer raise children to be morally upright but to be financially successful, “my SON is abroad,” they boast, even if he is in jail. Teachers demand bribes, clerics pray for corrupt politicians and role models are now Instagram scammers and reality TV stars.

MEDIA COMPLICITY: Many Nigerian media platforms give more coverage to celebrities than scholars. They promote those who flaunt wealth and ignore those who live quietly with integrity.

RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY: Churches and mosques now prioritize donations over discipline. A corrupt man can be made a deacon, imam or church elder if he gives enough money. Prosperity is now confused with piety.

CONSEQUENCES of REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR &
MORAL DECAY: When society rewards fraudsters and looters, the next generation grows up thinking crime pays.

LOSS of PATRIOTISM: Honest Nigerians feel alienated and many seek to leave the country.

POLITICAL DESTRUCTION: Leaders who buy their way into power do not feel accountable to the people.

ECONOMIC DAMAGE: Fraud, corruption and embezzlement drive away investors and kill local industries.

The Way Forward: Is A Valued Rebirth. If Nigeria must survive and thrive, it must return to a value system where CHARACTER not CASH, is celebrated. Schools must teach ETHICS, not just ECONOMICS. Media houses must highlight TRUTH-TELLERS not just TRENDSETTERS. Political parties must vet candidates based on INTEGRITY not just INFLUENCE. Religious leaders must speak TRUTH-TO-POWER not BOW-TO-IT. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a celebrated Nigerian author and global voice of conscience, said: “When we abandon our principles in the pursuit of power or money, we also abandon the soul of our nation.” Adichie’s words pierce through the illusion of materialism and expose the spiritual bankruptcy that afflicts Nigerian society. We must start naming and shaming looters not hailing them. We must reward honesty even if it does not come with wealth. We must teach our children that VALUE is in VIRTUE not VANITY; and we must elect leaders who live by PRINCIPLE not PRICE-TAGS.

The Bottom Line: Nigeria is at a moral crossroads. We can either continue down this dangerous path of celebrating corruption and losing our soul as a nation or we can turn back and reclaim our values. The future of our country depends on who we choose to honor, the MAN-OF-IINTEGRITY or the MAN-OF-ILLICIT WEALTH. Let us remember the prophetic words of African China, still relevant two decades later:“Poor man wen thief maggi dem go show am for TV but Richman thief money na oga dem dey hail am”.

It is time to stop clapping for CRIMINALS. It is time to rewrite the story of Nigeria; one where CHARACTER not CASH takes the CROWN.

Written by George Omagbemi Sylvester
Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com