I may have been young when Sani Abacha was in power, but the more I read, the more I listen to people who actually lived through that era, the more one thing becomes clear: what many Nigerians are going through today feels heavier, wider, and more suffocating.
And let’s not rewrite history to make a point. Abacha’s regime was brutal in many ways. People like Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni activists were executed. Democracy activists like Moshood Kashimawo and Abiola were detained under harsh conditions. Voices were silenced. Fear was real.
That fear was political, but what we are experiencing now is political, economic, physical, and psychological all at once. And this combination is lethal. Let’s talk about the everyday Nigerian, not just headlines.
During Abacha’s time, the Naira had value; it was N20 to N22 per $1 at the official rate. A salary, even if modest, could still carry a household to some extent. Food was accessible for the average family. Transportation, while not perfect, was not this punishing. The gap between survival and collapse was not this thin
Today, People budget transport before they budget food. A bag of rice feels like a luxury item. Naira has no value, Electricity is unstable, fuel is expensive, and alternatives like solar are not affordable for most
Small businesses are dying quietly under inflation, taxes, and low purchasing power
This is not just hardship. This is survival mode for millions. Now let’s talk about insecurity, because this is where things get even more serious. During Abacha’s regime, you feared the government. Today, Nigerians fear everything.
You fear: The government, the road, your farm, your neighbourhood at night, even random stops during travel.
Banditry, kidnappings, and violent attacks have become normalised conversations. There are families who cannot travel home for Christmas anymore. There are parents who think twice before sending their children to school in certain regions.
That level of fear across multiple layers of society is not something Nigerians lived with in the same way back then. And here’s another angle people don’t talk about enough: dignity. There was hardship under past regimes, yes. But today, many Nigerians feel stripped of dignity.
Working hard no longer guarantees basic comfort. Education no longer guarantees stability. Effort no longer guarantees progress. That breaks something deeper than the economy. It breaks belief.
Now let’s talk leadership again. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the current president, and leadership must be evaluated not by intentions but by impact.
Since taking office, there has been a visible gap between government decisions and the lived reality of citizens
Policies like subsidy removal and currency changes hit hard without enough cushioning for the average Nigerian
There is a growing perception that leadership is distant from the daily struggles of the people
And perception matters, because leadership is also about trust. When people begin to feel unheard, unseen, and unsupported, frustration builds. Now compare visibility.
News: http://The Quiet Crisis Fueling ‘School Is a Scam’
Abacha, despite being a military ruler, was physically present in Nigeria. He engaged the states. He maintained internal visibility. But since Bola Ahmed Tinubu became president, he has visited about 14 states in Nigeria, and about 13 of those visits were for political reasons.
Meanwhile, in just 33 months, he has visited about 24 countries and taken over 36 foreign trips. More countries than states. Let that sink in. And people are asking simple questions: If things are this hard at home, why does it feel like home is not the primary focus? These are not unreasonable questions.
Now let’s go back to the global stage. During the 90s, Nigeria was constantly in international headlines.
There was pressure. There was attention. Today, despite economic hardship, rising inflation, and insecurity, the global outrage is not at the same level. And it makes you wonder:
Is it because this suffering is quieter? Or because the world only reacts to certain types of crises? And here’s the part that should really make us all think. For many Nigerians to have to look back over 30 years, just to draw comparisons between Abacha and today
And somehow, Abacha is beginning to look like a better option to some people. Then there is fire on the mountain. Because it means the present situation has become so difficult that people are now comparing it to a regime we all agreed was deeply flawed and oppressive.
That should alarm everyone. And then there’s something else. During Abacha’s regime, the Western media was loud. There was pressure. There was outrage. But today, Nigerians are facing crushing inflation, rising insecurity, and declining quality of life…
And the global silence is loud. So you begin to ask, what changed? And let me say this clearly. There is no fence. If you think someone is sitting on the fence, just know they are closeted APC supporters who are not bold enough to say where they stand. Because when things are this bad, neutrality is not confusion.
It is a choice. Nigeria has had difficult times before. But what we are experiencing now is a combination of hardship that many Nigerians have never had to deal with at this scale. And if we are not honest about it, we will keep normalising what should never be normal
