This is not a polite memo.
This is a blazing alarm bell ringing across the nation—
a thunderous wake-up call to politicians, judges, critics, and the social media saints who pretend to be guardians of morality.
Why Do Nigerian Politicians Become Wise Only After Leaving Office?
It is a national mystery.
The moment a politician leaves office—
when the gravy train has moved on without them—
they suddenly discover truth, justice, and morality.
Where was this wisdom when they held power?
Where was this righteous outrage when they were “chopping” with the same bandits they now condemn?
The hypocrisy is not just loud—
it is deafening.
THE AGE OF MANUFACTURED OUTRAGE
Every street corner has become a courtroom.
Every smartphone has become a judge’s bench.
Every frustrated former politician is now an “activist” desperately trying to crawl back into relevance.
Social media is filled with:
Keyboard warriors
Retired power-hunters
Convenient critics
Anonymous moral police
But beneath all the noise lies one bitter truth:
Many who scream the loudest cannot stand the sound of their own conscience.
THE CRITICISM INDUSTRY: WHERE DESTRUCTION IS SOLD AS OPINION
Anyone can rant.
Anyone can condemn.
Even a broken clock shouts the right time twice a day.
But correction?
Solutions?
Integrity?
Those are rare.
Today, people don’t critique—they launch missiles.
They don’t correct—they look for blood.
As the elders say:
“Destructive criticism is the playground of the insecure.”
“If your words cannot comfort, they should not wound.”
“A true critic builds a staircase, not a trapdoor.”
Nigeria doesn’t need more wrecking balls.
We need builders with backbone.
HYPOCRISY: THE VIRUS NO LEADER WANTS YOU TO TALK ABOUT
Before you remove dust from another man’s eye,
check whether yours is not full of mud, smoke, or pure darkness.
Many people preach virtue with their mouths
while hiding corruption in their pockets.
They yell: “Expose him!”
but whisper: “Leave my matter out of this.”
Truth hits hardest here:
“You cannot shine light while standing in your own fog.”
“Before pointing a finger, wash your hands.”
“A judge terrified of the mirror is unfit to judge.”
Double standards are the official uniform of the morally weak.
EQUITY WITHOUT JUSTICE: NIGERIA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL LIE
Everybody shouts “Equity! Fairness! Equality!”
But most only want these things when they benefit them.
Fairness without justice is a decorated fraud.
“Equity without justice is a costume worn by cowards.”
“Justice cannot be a sermon; it must be a lifestyle.”
“True fairness demands courage—not convenience.”
If you insist on equity,
then come with sincerity, clean hands, and the courage to treat others fairly—even those you dislike.
THE RISE OF NOISY CRITICS AND EMPTY MINDS
Today:
Noise is mistaken for wisdom.
Volume is mistaken for truth.
Anger is mistaken for intelligence.
But here is the sharpest reality:
“The loudest critic is rarely the wisest; true wisdom whispers with deadly precision.”
Nigeria is choking under the weight of armchair judges throwing stones from glass mansions.
What we need are people who speak with purpose—
not bitterness.
With integrity—
not envy.
With courage—
not convenience.
BEFORE YOU THROW THAT STONE…
Clean your hands.
Check your mirror.
Examine your heart.
And ask yourself:
“Am I building or destroying?”
Societies collapse under the weight of reckless judgment,
but they rise through reflection, courage, and responsible criticism.
Before I go to bed, let me leave you and your family with this word of advice:
“Igbo mímu kì í ṣe nkan rere; torí ikúnlẹ̀ abiyamọ, ẹ jáwọ́ nínú ẹ.”
(Smoking Indian hemp is a form of drug abuse; please stay away from it.)
Mogaji Wole Arisekola
Publisher, Street Journal Newspaper
Writes from Ibadan.
