Hypocrite
1: A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2: A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
3: A person who pretends to be what he or she is not
I’m a hypocrite, and so are you.
I criticize the government for not building that 4th mainland bridge yet, but my street has so many potholes it’s a death trap
“Visionscape was a carefully put together scam to launder Lagos taxpayers’ money!” I scream while tossing that PET bottle through the window and dumping my refuse in a canal because I think ‘kolekole’ is too expensive
I don’t recycle but I wonder why the roads are always flooded whenever it rains
“This sun is too much! God is giving us a taste of hell cos we sin too much” Yes, but not the type of sin you’re thinking. Our sin is “I better pass my neighbor”
“She wore such a short skirt? she was clearly asking for it!” but you’re not asking for it when you get mugged in a lonely corner, why did you pass there?
“That pastor Biodun is a demon!” But you’re there attaching conditions of sex before you give her a job
I call politicians insensitive thieves, yet vote for the next one for a 5kg bag of rice and accept an employment offer I don’t qualify for from my Local Government Chairman uncle, testifying about “unmerited blessings”
Why should I believe a word you say?
That is why you celebrate independence day every year on 1st October yet you stay dependent on nepotism and bribery to make your wealth
Why you cheat in exam halls but deride your president for not knowing how many classes are in a Nigerian secondary school
Why you speak over 250 languages but can’t speak up against corruption and bad governance
Why you are the most educated diaspora population yet have the largest number of out of school children in the world
Why you have both the richest black man and woman but are the poverty capital of the world
Why you claim to be the giant of Africa, but can’t even refine your crude: your biggest export is crude, your biggest import is mineral fuel
We’re all hypocrites!
But what are you going to do about it? Let me tell you what I will do:
For every additional degree I get, I will get 2 children in school.
For every year additional year I live, I will get 2 children out of the hospital.
I will properly dispose of every thrash I generate.
I will make wealth legitimately, through service and value creation.
I will pay my dues, and tip the security guard sacrificing his comfort for me.
I will use my privilege to increase, not reduce access of others to privilege.
I will not kiss ass; I will criticize those in authority when they fuck up.
I will get into authority, and not fuck up!
I will take responsibility.
I am no longer a hypocrite.
How about you?
