John Okoro
Italian-Nigerian artist Charles Onyekachi Onyeabor has voiced deep concerns about Nigeria’s future following the tragic car crash involving boxing champion Anthony Joshua.
As previously reported by Amonpoint News, Joshua narrowly survived a deadly accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that claimed two lives. The incident prompted Onyeabor to share a sobering perspective on social media.
Posting on Instagram, he wrote: “The Anthony Joshua accident has me reflecting deeply. While grateful he survived, my heart breaks for the families mourning their loved ones.”
Onyeabor then turned his attention to Nigeria’s worsening conditions: “When I express doubts about Nigeria’s future, some assume I’m being negative. But after living abroad for 20 years, I’ve watched our homeland deteriorate rather than progress. When optimists claim ‘Nigeria will improve,’ I wonder—what signs point to this?”
He criticized the national tendency to reject criticism: “The tragedy is our refusal to confront hard truths. Whether a local or foreigner speaks honestly about Nigeria’s issues, the response is attacks and insults rather than introspection. We excel at comparing celebrities but fail at comparing our infrastructure to other nations.”
The musician highlighted misplaced priorities: “We debate endlessly about which artist has more Grammys or which businessman is wealthier, yet ignore that millions lack electricity, clean water, or functional hospitals. Why aren’t we comparing our failing systems to countries where these are standard?”
Onyeabor condemned divisive distractions: “We’re consumed by tribal politics, religious conflicts, and online feuds instead of demanding accountability. Progress is impossible until we stop idolizing individuals and start fixing broken institutions.”
His post concluded: “This isn’t pessimism—it’s realism. Without fundamental changes, Nigeria’s decline may continue unchecked.”
Grace Effiong
