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Insecurity and the Death of Kindness in Nigeria By Eze Anthony | T-Fresh Civic Voice





Earlier today, while walking home from church, I had an encounter that has left me thinking deeply about the state of our society. I came across a man sitting inside his car. He looked like someone I could approach—maybe for a quick question, a simple conversation, or even just to introduce myself. But before I could say a word, he rolled down his window slightly, glared at me, and said sharply:

“Leave this place before I call the police.”

There was no exchange of greetings, no attempt to understand my intention. Just immediate suspicion and a quick threat of law enforcement.

I walked away, stunned, but not angry. More than anything else, I was deeply reflective. The man's reaction wasn’t personal—it was the product of something much bigger: a culture of fear that now defines our everyday interactions in Nigeria.


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A Nation Guarded by Fear

This single moment reminded me of something painful: in today’s Nigeria, you cannot easily obtain aid, opportunity, or even a simple ear from others anymore. Not because people have suddenly become wicked or heartless, but because fear and insecurity have tightened their hearts and shut their doors.

Insecurity has reached a point where people would rather ignore than engage, run than respond, accuse than assist. Whether it’s on the streets, in markets, or even in places of worship, people now see each other as potential threats instead of fellow citizens.


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The Tragedy of Distrust

Nigeria’s problems are many—unemployment, inflation, corruption—but one silent tragedy we often ignore is the growing loss of trust among Nigerians themselves. It’s no longer just the government we don’t trust. We’ve stopped trusting each other.

What happens when people begin to believe that helping others could cost them their own safety? When someone in genuine need is seen as a danger? It creates a society where no one dares to ask, and no one is willing to answer.

The worst part? The victims are often the youth, the poor, the voiceless—those whose futures depend on opportunities that can no longer be reached because fear now stands at the gates.


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Who Do We Become?

This is not the Nigeria our parents dreamed of. This is not the future we were promised. A nation where people are scared to help, scared to speak, and scared to care is a nation heading toward emotional and social collapse.

We must ask ourselves: who are we becoming? Are we satisfied with being a people so paranoid that kindness has to die for us to survive?


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Hope in Human Connection

Still, I believe in the possibility of a better Nigeria. I believe that every act of understanding—no matter how small—can help us begin to rebuild the bridges fear has broken.

Yes, caution is necessary. Insecurity is real. But fear must not become our only lens. If we lose the ability to trust, to show mercy, to listen first before judging—we lose the soul of our society.

So I write this not to blame the man in the car, but to mourn the Nigeria that shaped his fear. And more importantly, to remind myself—and you—that we must not give up on kindness. We must not allow insecurity to steal our humanity.

Let us be the ones who dare to help again, even when the world tells us to stay guarded.

Let us keep the flame of compassion burning—before darkness takes over completely.


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About the Writer:
Eze Anthony is a young Nigerian writer, media enthusiast, and social observer. He is the founder of T-Fresh Civic Voice, a blog dedicated to reflecting on social issues and advocating for positive change in Nigeria.


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