Post by Francis Onabis (@Onabis)

#Nigeria

The Roots Remember, Even When the Tree Tries to Pretend
There is a saying worth reflecting upon in these troubled times: "The roots remember, even when the tree tries to pretend."
Nations are much like trees. We see the branches, the leaves, and the fruits. We admire what stands above the ground. Yet the true story of every tree lies beneath the surface, in its roots. The roots determine whether a tree stands strong in a storm or collapses under the weight of its own neglect.
Nigeria today is a nation struggling with its roots.
We often speak about elections, political parties, economic policies, and government appointments. These are the visible branches of the tree. We argue endlessly about who should be president and which political party deserves another chance. Yet we rarely confront the deeper questions that lie beneath the surface.
Why has leadership become a pathway to personal enrichment rather than public service? Why do citizens often celebrate those who accumulate wealth regardless of how it was acquired? Why do institutions remain weak while individuals become powerful? Why do we continue to reward loyalty to personalities over loyalty to principles?
These questions are rooted in our national culture and political history. They cannot be solved by merely changing faces in government.
Many Nigerians believe that the solution to our problems is simply replacing one president with another. While leadership matters, history teaches us that no nation is transformed by a single individual. Sustainable change comes when institutions become stronger than personalities and when citizens demand accountability from all leaders, not just those they oppose.
The temptation is always to believe that our problems began yesterday. We blame the current administration, the previous administration, military rule, colonialism, or one political party. Each explanation contains a measure of truth. Yet the roots of our challenges run much deeper than any single government or generation.
Corruption did not suddenly appear. Ethnic division did not suddenly emerge. The culture of impunity was not born overnight. These are roots that have been nourished for decades by silence, compromise, and the willingness of many to benefit from a broken system whenever the opportunity arises.
The roots remember.
A nation cannot consistently elect leaders who reflect its weaknesses and then pretend those weaknesses belong only to the leaders. Politicians do not emerge from another planet. They come from our communities, our schools, our places of worship, and our families. The values they carry into public office are often the values they encountered long before they sought power.
This is not an argument for hopelessness. It is an argument for honesty.
Real reform begins when a society is willing to look at itself without excuses. It begins when citizens demand integrity not only from politicians but also from themselves. It begins when public office is seen as a responsibility rather than an opportunity. It begins when competence matters more than tribe, religion, or political loyalty.
Nigeria possesses extraordinary human potential. Around the world, Nigerians excel in business, science, medicine, technology, education, and the arts. Our problem has never been a lack of talent. Our challenge has been creating a system that consistently rewards competence, character, and service.
The future of Nigeria will not be determined solely by who occupies Aso Rock. It will be determined by whether we are courageous enough to confront the roots of our national dysfunction.
Trees can recover. Damaged roots can be nourished. New growth is always possible. But renewal begins with truth.
For as long as we continue to ignore the causes of our problems and focus only on the symptoms, we will remain trapped in the same cycle of disappointment.
The roots remember, even when the tree tries to pretend.
And until we address the roots, the tree will never become what it was meant to be.

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