Nigerian leadership’s denial of the obvious: A culture of fiddling while Rome burns

Nigerian leadership’s denial of the obvious: A culture of fiddling while Rome burns

Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert

A popular Yoruba adage says ‘If you plant seven yam seedlings and seven tissues of lies, you will repeat both in due season. After eating your tubers of yam, you start eating the whirlwind of lies”. This seems to be where Nigeria is today. The country is eating the outcomes of the many lies it told citizens in the past in the name of growing democracy and promoting sustainable development. Lies and denial have evolved from occasional tactics into forms of sophisticated statecraft. These deeply ingrained patterns manifest as leaders consistently refuse to acknowledge glaring national challenges while distracting citizens with future promises and political manoeuvrings.

Consequences of denial have been devastating for Nigeria’s development, fostering disillusionment at home and among Nigerians abroad. Denial has become institutionalised in Nigerian political leadership: it manifests in the “fiddling while Rome burns” syndrome; it is weaponised through electoral distractions, and it impacts on other Africans who look up to Nigeria to provide continental leadership.

The institutionalisation of denial and the blame-game

Nigerian leaders have developed a remarkable capacity for denying reality even when confronted with overwhelming evidence, and for specialising in blaming past administrations and leaders. Yet, these patterns transcend individual administrations and political parties, suggesting a deeply systemic problem rather than isolated incidents.

The psychological mechanisms behind leadership denial are complex. They are what psychologists call “motivated denial” – the rejection of information that contradicts preferred beliefs. For instance, when confronted with eyewitness accounts of security incidents, officials frequently present contradictory “official” versions. Denial now extends beyond security issues to virtually all sectors of governance. In economic management, healthcare, education, and infrastructure development, Nigerian leaders consistently deny obvious failings while promoting narratives of progress that contradict citizens’ experiences.

The ancient image of Emperor Nero ‘fiddling while Rome burns’ aptly describes Nigerian leadership’s response to national crises. Like Nero, who allegedly played music while his city was consumed by flames, Nigerian leaders often appear detached from the suffering of citizens, focusing on personal interests while the nation deteriorates. Nigeria’s leaders, like Nero, reflect leadership’s tendency to remain preoccupied with political calculations and personal enrichment while neglecting pressing national challenges.

The public service sector provides another telling illustration. Studies document the recurring failure and abandonment of public infrastructure projects. Yet leaders continue to announce new ambitious projects while existing infrastructure crumbles. Healthcare facilities remain understaffed and under-resourced, with medical centres empty as competent professionals flee abroad. Rather than addressing these obvious challenges, leaders often deny their severity or shift blame.

Perhaps the most powerful tool in the denial arsenal is diversion through electoral politics. While barely two years into their current terms, Nigerian politicians are already fixated on the 2027 elections rather than addressing immediate governance challenges.

Civil society organisations and lawyers have explicitly accused politicians of “using permutations, debates and even campaigns for the 2027 general election to distract Nigerians’ attention from their failures in office”. While insecurity worsens and economic hardships intensify, political discourse increasingly revolves around who will control power after 2027 rather than how to address current problems.

The consequences of this diversion are severe. The “attention being given to the elections coming up in 2027 by elected political actors in the current administration at the federal and state levels may jeopardise the fulfilment of the campaign promises made before the 2023 general election”.

Diaspora disconnect: Disillusionment beyond borders

Nigeria’s leadership denial has profoundly impacted citizens both at home and abroad. The massive exodus of young Nigerians stems directly from their disillusionment with leadership’s refusal to acknowledge and address fundamental problems. This emigration trend has become so significant that it earned its own term in popular culture as japa.

The disillusionment of Nigerians abroad stems from witnessing their homeland’s deterioration while possessing the comparative experience of living in countries where leadership tends to address problems rather than deny them.

For Nigeria to progress, its leadership must break cycles of lies, denial and blame-game. The first step is acknowledging the obvious problems facing the nation — from economic mismanagement to security failures — without politically motivated distortions. As General Zamani Lekwot said recently, “Nigeria’s leadership crisis can no longer be ignored if the country is to survive and thrive.”

Acknowledgment must be accompanied by genuine efforts to address obvious challenges rather than distracting citizens with political calculations for future elections. As civil society leaders have urged, politicians must “prioritise good governance over their selfish ambitions”.

The cost of denial and the value of truth

Nigerian leadership’s obsession with denial and scape-goating others have profound costs. It has perpetuated economic stagnation, security challenges, and social division. It has driven talented Nigerians abroad while leaving those at home disillusioned. It has transformed governance from problem-solving to problem-denying.

Breaking these cycles requires a fundamental shift in political culture — from denial to acknowledgment, from distraction to focus, from self-interest to public service. The alternative to denial is not despair but honest assessment and determined action. Only by confronting reality can Nigerian leaders begin to address the country’s challenges effectively.

The first step toward solutions is acknowledging the obvious. Until Nigeria’s political leadership abandons its culture of denial, the country will continue to suffer the consequences of leaders who fiddle while their Rome burns.