I have previously written on our “classthink” mentality in Nigeria. Classthink explains why those of us who are members of the educated middle class often overlook the circumstances of poor Nigerians when discussing government policy. We weigh government policy from the perspective of our immediate environments. If the policy works for us, then it is good enough. If we can “endure”, then so should everyone else. This is dangerous and, somewhat, juvenile. However, this attitude is not surprising. Most of us in the educated middle class are only aware of the “Nigeria” that surrounds us. This is the Nigeria inhabited by our immediate family, neighbours, colleagues, and networks.
It is the Nigeria where education is natural and accessible, along with its career options. Education confers the benefits of policies and laws governing human rights, access to government, commerce and employment, insurance, health, pensions and so on. People with similar experiences orbit our personal space. It rarely occurs to us that we are in the minority in Nigeria.
Inevitably, our perception of reality is distorted. We substitute our own experiences as the reality of all other Nigerians. It takes a deliberate—and often painful—effort to pierce the bubble wrap and actually see the bleak landscape inhabited by the masses that service our comforts and execute our needs.
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