NIGERIANS DO NOT PRACTICE RESPECT

Respect implies a mutuality, where people relate with one another on an equal level. It's at the very foundation of the concept of equality. People are not judged based on their status in the society but based on their humanity. You recognize that as people, we are born with the right to live freely and with dignity.

However that is not the case in Nigeria. Nigeria does not operate on the basis of equality, instead she operates on the basis of social hierarchy. Based on your sex, age, occupation, role and finances, you will be accorded a certain level of respect.

And because Nigeria is ruled by a patriarchy system, you have females at the bottom and males at the top. So no matter how low a male ranks, he will never rank as low as or lower than a female. And no matter how high a female ranks she will never rank as high as or higher than a male.

In the family setting, the parents rank higher than the children.

In a marriage the husband ranks higher than the wife.

In the society, men rank higher than women, adults rank higher than kids, rich people rank higher than poor people.

This structure means that people who rank lower must respect those who rank higher, but those who rank higher are not required to respect those who rank lower.

Wives are to respect their husbands, while the husbands are meant to love their wives.

Children are meant to respect their parents, while parents are meant to care for their children.

The people who are meant to give respect also have the onus of maintaining peace, forgiving and never challenging those above them.

BY NIGERIAN STANDARDS I AM EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL.

I'm an egalitarian, and I firmly believe in the concept of mutual respect. I do not respect people who do not respect me. No matter who they are.

And if you err me, I will demand for an apology. And until you apologise, I will not reinstate my respect for you.

As a progressist, I believe in challenging authority and holding it accountable for its actions. A society where those who occupy positions of power are never questioned is a society that will never grow or be egalitarian.

I want a society where people do not believe or get comfortable with their privileges.

And if you are assigned or have self assigned a role, play it well. There are too many people claiming to be something and acting unlike someone in that position.

The president is failing.
Governors are failing.
Policemen are failing.
SARS are failing.
Teachers are failing.
Parents are failing.
Religious leaders are failing.
Employers are failing.

They are failing because they do not respect those they consider beneath them. Like they do not owe us anything. However everyone of them still demands respect from us, their "subordinates".

This is not even funny anymore. This is the mentality of dictatorship and man worshipping.

The importance of reciprocating respect cannot be underemphasized. A society where respect does not exist, is a society that is doomed.