Every society that desires progress must confront the enemies within it before it can defeat the enemies outside. For Nigeria, two of the most corrosive internal enemies are hypocrisy and eye-service. They are twin vices that have eaten deep into the moral fabric of the nation, crippling institutions, stifling merit, and breeding a culture of mediocrity and distrust. To achieve a better society, Nigeria must consciously relegate these attitudes to the background and enthrone sincerity, integrity, and genuine service.
Hypocrisy in the Nigerian context is the pretence of virtue where vice thrives. It is the public display of morality while privately perpetrating the opposite. Eye-service, its close companion, is work done only to impress a superior, not out of duty, conviction, or love for country. It is performance without substance, loyalty without principle. Together, they create a nation of actors rather than builders.
THE MANIFESTATION OF HYPOCRISY AND EYES SERVICE IN NIGERIA;
These vices are visible in every sector. In politics, hypocrisy is a way of life. Politicians mount the podium to preach patriotism, accountability, and sacrifice while embezzling public funds and securing the future of their families abroad. They condemn corruption when out of power and defend it when in power. Eye-service sustains this system. Political appointees and civil servants hail every policy of their principal, no matter how anti-people, just to remain in his good books. They clap at inanities, sing praises of failure, and label sycophancy as loyalty. The result is bad policy that goes unchallenged and leaders who live in delusion.
1, In the civil service, which should be the engine room of development, eye-service has replaced efficiency. Many workers resume late and close early, but become hyper-active when the director is on inspection. Files that have gathered dust for months suddenly move with speed. This culture explains why service delivery in Nigeria is poor. Promotion is often no longer based on productivity or innovation but on who serves the oga best, who brings gifts, and who never questions authority.
2, In the religious sphere, which should be the conscience of the nation, hypocrisy has found a comfortable home. Some religious leaders preach righteousness and contentment on the pulpit but extort their congregation, live extravagantly, and align with corrupt politicians for personal gain. Followers are taught to pray against corruption while practicing dishonesty in their businesses and examinations. We condemn immorality in public discourse but celebrate its proceeds when it favours our kinsman.
3, In our educational institutions, students engage in examination malpractice and sort lecturers for grades, yet come out to advocate for meritocracy on social media. Lecturers who demand sex or money for marks will be the first to lament the falling standard of education in Nigeria.
THE COST TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
The cost of this dual cancer is enormous.
First, it kills meritocracy. When eye-service is rewarded over competence, the best brains leave the system or remain silent. This is why many talented Nigerians thrive abroad but struggle at home, a major driver of the Japa syndrome.
Second, it destroys trust and accountability. Hypocrisy makes citizens cynical. When people see that those who preach the law are the greatest breakers of the law, they lose faith in the state. A society where no one believes in the sincerity of the other cannot achieve collective action needed for development.
Third, it institutionalizes mediocrity and waste. Projects are executed shoddily but commissioned with fanfare because the supervisor wanted to please the governor. Policies are never evaluated honestly because subordinates are afraid to tell the leader the truth. Thus, the nation continues to recycle failure.
THE PATH FORWARD_ RELEGATING THE VICES:
Achieving a better Nigerian society requires a deliberate and multi-pronged approach to relegate hypocrisy and eye-service.
Leadership by Example:
Change must start from the top. Leaders at all levels, political, traditional, religious, and corporate, must model the values they preach. A leader who declares austerity must live austerely. A leader who demands punctuality must be punctual. When followers see consistency between word and action, sincerity becomes fashionable.
Reforming the Reward System:
Nigeria must restructure its institutions to reward integrity, productivity, and innovation rather than sycophancy. In the civil service and private sector, promotion and appraisal must be based on transparent Key Performance Indicators, not closeness to power. Whistleblowers who expose hypocrisy and corruption must be protected and celebrated, not punished.
Value Reorientation and Civic Education:
The National Orientation Agency, schools, and media must embark on sustained value reorientation. We must teach our children from primary school that dignity in labour is superior to wealth without work, and that honesty is more profitable in the long run. Our curriculum should emphasize civic duties, critical thinking, and the courage to speak truth to power respectfully.
Strengthening Institutions over Personalities:
A strong institution does not need eye-service to function. When the rule of law is supreme, when INEC, EFCC, the judiciary, and the civil service operate independently, people will serve the system and the constitution, not the individual occupying office. Institutional strength eliminates the fear that fuels eye-service.
Personal Resolve:
Finally, the revolution must be personal. A better Nigeria will not fall from heaven. Each Nigerian must make a personal covenant to be true in private as in public. The trader who refuses to cheat with his scale, the student who refuses to cheat in the exam hall, the police officer who refuses a bribe, and the citizen who refuses to praise a bad government are all nation-builders.
Conclusion:
Nigeria is not short of laws, policies, conferences, or brilliant ideas for development. What we lack is sincerity of purpose in implementation. Hypocrisy and eye-service have created a nation where everyone is working but nothing is working. If we must build the Nigeria of our dreams, a nation that is just, prosperous, and respected, we must kill performance and embrace authenticity. We must move from a culture of “the boss is always right” to a culture of “the truth is always right.” Only when we relegate hypocrisy and eye-service can we elevate diligence, honesty, and true patriotism, the real foundations upon which a better society is built.
REV FRANCIS UZOCHUKWU AGU.
A PRIEST AND HUMANITARIAN.
DIRECTOR: Directorate For Civic and Political Affairs. Church of Nigeria Global Anglican communion Diocese of Oji River, Enugu State Nigeria.
