Why Nigeria’s February Elections Won’t Change A Thing

Nigeria is currently knee deep in its electoral season, and as a Nigerian-American, I have kept a healthy distance from it all. How can anyone indulge in the idea that we’re supposed to elect a president who will continue to allow terrorists to not only destroy whole villages, but also employ girls who are barely in their teens as suicide bombers?

#BringBackOurGirls was one of the anthems of 2014, and as a writer, I felt the need to bring a perspective to the issue for those who were holding out hope that the missing girls would return. One piece in particular was received with disbelief that I had so little faith in my country’s ability to successfully return the girls to their grief-stricken families. I don’t feel vindicated knowing that I was accurate in my assessment. This is the searing reality for citizens of a country that live each day with feverish uncertainty.

When my parents’ generation returned home after completing their higher education abroad — they surveyed the offerings of the homeland and collectively decided that their kids would be better off escaping their awaiting fate. For us, there was no pressure to come back home in a bid to apply the knowledge and exposure we had gained. We witnessed the exploitation of our parents at the hands of an erratically fractured system — overrun with bribery, corruption and senseless military coups that did nothing more than establish fear and instability.