Nigeria once had a man whose name alone could make people afraid.

Ishola Oyenusi.

His story belongs to the 1960s and 1970s, but the questions surrounding his life have not remained in the past.

Because sometimes, history does not disappear.

It changes clothes.

Oyenusi carried a gun. Today, some people carry influence.

He operated through fear. Today, some use money, connections, political power or social media influence to intimidate others.

He wanted to take what belonged to others. Today, some steal public resources and call it success.

The tools have changed.

But have we changed?

Nigeria has changed tremendously. Our technology, cities, music, fashion and lifestyles have evolved.

But what about our values?

Today, someone suddenly becomes wealthy through questionable means and instead of asking questions, people say, “This guy has made it.”

A corrupt person becomes powerful and we call him a “big man.”

Someone uses connections to destroy another person's opportunity and we call it “knowing somebody.”

Then we complain about Nigeria.

But a country does not become better simply because its citizens complain about corruption.

It becomes better when people stop celebrating the behaviour they claim to hate.

That is why Oyenusi should not only be remembered as an armed robber from another era.

His story should make us examine what we are becoming.

Because crime does not always carry a gun.

Sometimes it carries a phone.

Sometimes it sits behind a desk.

Sometimes it wears an expensive suit.

Sometimes it hides behind influence.

Sometimes it hides behind a powerful name.

And sometimes it is simply a person who believes that anything is acceptable as long as they don't get caught.

So perhaps the real question is not:

“Who was Oyenusi?”

The real question is:

“What kind of people is Nigeria producing today?”

Our children are watching what we celebrate.

They are watching who becomes successful.

They are watching whether honesty still matters.

They are watching whether character is more valuable than money.

One day, they will build the Nigeria we are teaching them to build.

Oyenusi's era ended decades ago.

But the question his story leaves behind is still alive:

Have we really changed, or have we simply become better at hiding the same problems?

©️ Sammy Góld