By Gabriel Ewepu 

ABUJA – THE Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, sparked controversy with his statement that Nigerians deserve whatever they get from the government that the docility of the citizenry is what enables bad leadership in the country.

Speaking at the National Social Cohesion Dialogue (#NSCD2025) Unveiling of the 2025 Nigeria social cohesion survey report with the theme “Rebuilding Citizens’ trust and Public Confidence in Government and Public Institutions’ Amaechi emphasized that citizens must take responsibility for their own empowerment and not rely solely on the government. 

He stated that the elite in Nigeria are aware of the struggles of the common people, but it’s the citizens who must take action to create change.

He also emphasized the need for citizen to take responsibility for their own empowerment and not rely solely on the government, urging Nigerians to stop blaming the elite and instead focus on creating change through their own actions.

He acknowledged the challenges of leadership in Nigeria, citing the example of Bangladesh’s revolution and the sacrifices that were made, saying true change requires sacrifice and effort from citizens, rather than just relying on leaders.

His statement generated mixed reactions, with some people agreeing that citizens have a role to play in demanding good governance, while others argued that the government is responsible for providing for the welfare of its citizens.

Speaking, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State, emphasized that the conversation around social cohesion in Nigeria is crucial for the country’s future, democracy, and governance. 

Highlighting the need to understand the disconnects in the society, particularly along ethnic, religious, and regional lines, said, Nigeria faces significant challenges in building social cohesion, with deep divisions along ethnic, religious, and economic lines.

According to him, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is a major concern, with the poor getting poorer and the rich getting less compassionate.

Fayemi emphasized the need to re-examine the country’s values and education system, which he believes is creating an elite class that is detached from the masses, adding that there is a huge trust deficit in government and public institutions, and that this lack of trust is not limited to government institutions but also private institutions.

He also warned that the greatest danger facing Nigeria today is the loss of humanity, citing the increasing violence and lack of empathy in society, emphasizing the need for continuous conversation around social cohesion, trust deficit, and shared prosperity.

He stressed the importance of building consensus and developing a template for shared prosperity that benefits all Nigerians while calling for efforts to rebuild trust in government and public institutions, and to promote a culture of transparency and accountability.

Also, the Executive Director, Africa polling institute (API), Prof Bell Ihua said the Africa Polling Institute, API, has been conducting annual national surveys on social cohesion since 2019, and the fourth round of the survey has just been released. 

According to him, the report highlights two key findings: low trust in government, Citizens have low trust in the current government, with 83% of Nigerians saying they have little or no trust in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 80% in the National Assembly, and 79% in the judiciary.

He informed that the citizens are united in their struggles due to economic realities, with many coalescing around shared challenges.

“The survey also highlights issues of identity, social justice, and civic participation that need to be addressed. 

According to Prof Ihua, the government needs to take action to rebuild trust, citing the constitution’s section on government responsibility to citizens.

He recommended that the government should Implement policies to address economic challenges, prioritize policies that address poverty, insecurity, and high cost of living.

He also said that the government should ensure that citizens see tangible results of their policies and actions, including provision of security, mass housing, and addressing poverty and urged that they work to rebuild trust by implementing policies that benefit the masses, not just a select few.

“The National Social Cohesion Dialogue 2025 aims to discuss these issues and find solutions to improve social cohesion in Nigeria”, he said.