Overbloated ego, indiscipline and other national maladies, By Olajide Abiola

I don’t think we are the most criminally minded people in the world but I think we should be the most indisciplined and entitled people.

When you look at the Stats of cyber crimes globally, you will realize that we do not take the lead however, our culture of indiscipline and disorderliness has made us the perfect alibi for other criminals around the world.

I think apart from being indisciplined, we have the most unhealthy overbloated ego. This is why almost everyone feels above the law.

We are loud, noisy and braggadocios, especially in our lawlessness and indiscipline. Our poor work ethics is well documented. Many hiring managers around the world will tell you how smart and intelligent Nigerians are but come short with at work ethics.

This is why most Nigerians in Nigeria here will see sticklers to rules as wicked fellows. We are not used to doing things appropriately. We have been used to anyhowness and indulgences so much that anyone who tries to enforce basic processes is viewed as wicked. It is why we break laws easily outside the country. Many of those law breakers aren’t particularly bad people. They were just poorly oriented and trained as Nigerians.

It happens here even at the family level. Some people cannot cope in their uncle and aunty’s houses because of the order in those places. They’re used to places where they’re allowed to do anyhow. Go out when they like. Go out without anyone knowing where they went to.

There are many people I have advised to keep financial diaries in order to track where their money is going to but they always assume such is from a place of being miserly hence, unnecessary. How won’t you know how your money flows out and comes in? Yet, these same Nigerians will say “I don’t know how my money finishes”. When it it is not Google map leading them to spend.

Ordinary stop and question by security at a building is considered insult to an average Nigerian. We don’t like queues and orderliness.

People even associate discipline with stinginess. They assume if you’re disciplined, you cannot be generous and kind. Disciplined people are simply averse to waste. They’re some of the most generous, considerate and kindest people.

Indiscipline and poor work ethics is written all over most of the handymen and workmen in Nigeria. They show up when they like…they hold people to Ransome. They do the work when they like. They deliver when they like.

-Abiola, a company executive writes from Abuja