When Conscience Goes Silent: The Betrayal Of Nigeria’s Moral Voices

By Akpovoke Otiti

In a time when the nation bleeds under the weight of economic hardship and failed leadership, the silence of once-vocal moral voices is deafening. The very individuals who led marches, raised placards, and held governments accountable in 2012 are now nowhere to be found. It appears that selective activism has become the order of the day, exposing the tribalistic and hypocritical nature of some of Nigeria’s so-called moral leaders.

Many of those silent now then were once seen at the frontlines during protests against Goodluck Jonathan’s government. The outrage then was loud and passionate, sparked by the removal of fuel subsidy and an increase in pump price from N65 to N150. These men were hailed as champions of the people. But today, in the face of deeper suffering and worse economic indicators, they are eerily silent.

Are these men still in Nigeria? Have they suddenly gone dumb? The same fire and passion they showed in 2012 have disappeared. The irony is painful. A fuel price increase that drew widespread protests under Jonathan has now tripled under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yet those who once roared like lions now whisper, if at all. Their silence reeks of complicity.

What happened to the prophetic voices that once echoed through churches, mosques, and media houses? Have tribal loyalties clouded their judgment? Is it because the man at the helm now shares the same ethnic heritage with them? This hypocrisy must be called out for what it is. Nigeria cannot afford to keep dancing around the truth.

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The youth of today, jobless and frustrated, are left to rant on social media. Their anger is valid, their pain is real, yet they are denied the support of the very elders who should be guiding and amplifying their voices. The likes of Prof. Wole Soyinka, who once stood as the conscience of the nation, now look the other way. Is this the same man who once called out tyranny regardless of who was in power?

President Tinubu’s so-called “working review” trip to France stands as a symbol of elite disconnect. The same France whose president has not deemed it necessary to visit Nigeria for any bilateral engagement. Yet, our leaders travel there like it’s a sacred pilgrimage. What exactly are they reviewing while Nigerians wallow in poverty?

It is said that “your life begins to end the day you become silent about the things that matter.” Today, our elders are betraying this principle. Their silence is no longer golden, it is dangerous. It enables oppression, strengthens bad governance, and abandons a generation that desperately needs guidance.

History will not be kind to those who had the voice to speak but chose silence. When Nigeria needed moral direction, they hid behind titles and privileges. This is not just a political failure; it is a moral collapse. And it must not go unchecked.