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OYÉNUSÍ
<p>Nigeria once had a man whose name alone could make people afraid.</p><p><br/></p><p>Ishola Oyenusi.</p><p><br/></p><p>His story belongs to the 1960s and 1970s, but the questions surrounding his life have not remained in the past.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because sometimes, history does not disappear.</p><p><br/></p><p>It changes clothes.</p><p><br/></p><p>Oyenusi carried a gun. Today, some people carry influence.</p><p><br/></p><p>He operated through fear. Today, some use money, connections, political power or social media influence to intimidate others.</p><p><br/></p><p>He wanted to take what belonged to others. Today, some steal public resources and call it success.</p><p><br/></p><p>The tools have changed.</p><p><br/></p><p>But have we changed?</p><p><br/></p><p>Nigeria has changed tremendously. Our technology, cities, music, fashion and lifestyles have evolved.</p><p><br/></p><p>But what about our values?</p><p><br/></p><p>Today, someone suddenly becomes wealthy through questionable means and instead of asking questions, people say, “This guy has made it.”</p><p><br/></p><p>A corrupt person becomes powerful and we call him a “big man.”</p><p><br/></p><p>Someone uses connections to destroy another person's opportunity and we call it “knowing somebody.”</p><p><br/></p><p>Then we complain about Nigeria.</p><p><br/></p><p>But a country does not become better simply because its citizens complain about corruption.</p><p><br/></p><p>It becomes better when people stop celebrating the behaviour they claim to hate.</p><p><br/></p><p>That is why Oyenusi should not only be remembered as an armed robber from another era.</p><p><br/></p><p>His story should make us examine what we are becoming.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because crime does not always carry a gun.</p><p><br/></p><p>Sometimes it carries a phone.</p><p><br/></p><p>Sometimes it sits behind a desk.</p><p><br/></p><p>Sometimes it wears an expensive suit.</p><p><br/></p><p>Sometimes it hides behind influence.</p><p><br/></p><p>Sometimes it hides behind a powerful name.</p><p><br/></p><p>And sometimes it is simply a person who believes that anything is acceptable as long as they don't get caught.</p><p><br/></p><p>So perhaps the real question is not:</p><p><br/></p><p>“Who was Oyenusi?”</p><p><br/></p><p>The real question is:</p><p><br/></p><p>“What kind of people is Nigeria producing today?”</p><p><br/></p><p>Our children are watching what we celebrate.</p><p><br/></p><p>They are watching who becomes successful.</p><p><br/></p><p>They are watching whether honesty still matters.</p><p><br/></p><p>They are watching whether character is more valuable than money.</p><p><br/></p><p>One day, they will build the Nigeria we are teaching them to build.</p><p><br/></p><p>Oyenusi's era ended decades ago.</p><p><br/></p><p>But the question his story leaves behind is still alive:</p><p><br/></p><p>Have we really changed, or have we simply become better at hiding the same problems?</p><p><br/></p><p>©️ Sammy Góld</p>
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