𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚, “𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝.
Nigeria today increasingly reflects the dangerous symptoms of state capture. Nigerians have become so accustomed to stories of corruption, insecurity, judicial manipulation among others, that many now treat as normal. But the deeper crisis is that public institutions themselves are gradually losing independence and becoming instruments of elite survival rather than guardians of public interest. Across the country, there is a growing perception that institutions which should serve as checks on executive excesses are becoming weaker. The legislature often appears more interested in political alignment than robust oversight. Regulatory agencies are frequently accused of selective enforcement. Anti-corruption campaigns are sometimes seen through partisan lenses. Even the judiciary, which should remain the final hope of the ordinary citizen, increasingly faces public skepticism whenever politically sensitive judgments are delivered. While many may have perceived state ca...