On this Democracy Day, I had intended to rest my pen. I wanted to leave the fate written on the walls of history to speak for itself. I thought perhaps the sacrifices of those who fought for democracy were enough testimony. Yet, in the final hour, a thought stirred within me, compelling me to write a message to all of us who have come together to form this sovereign nation called Nigeria. My message is particularly for those who believe that the business of Nigeria lies in the hands of a powerful few. Perhaps they are influenced by what the German sociologist Robert Michels described as the "Iron Law of Oligarchy" ,the tendency for power to concentrate in the hands of a small elite. Looking at our politics, our institutions, and our economy, one may be tempted to believe that the destiny of Nigeria is determined only by those who occupy powerful offices and influential positions. But history tells a different story. Nigeria does not belong to any president, governor, politi...
When glamour fades too quickly, trust is the first casualty.
Mrs. Elizabeth, a modest shoe vendor, built her small business around trust. She sourced her shoes from a supplier she believed in—whose name is Okeke Esther Udoka, owner of brand "Queen Empire Collection" in Lagos—and resold them to her loyal customers.
Business was steady, until one fateful day when a customer returned, visibly upset. The beautiful pair of shoes she had purchased from Mrs. Elizabeth had fallen apart after just a single outing. The incident cast a shadow over the integrity of Queen Empire Collection
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a brand Mrs. Elizabeth had trusted for years.
Caught off guard, Mrs. Elizabeth found herself speechless. She had bought the shoes in good faith from her regular Lagos supplier and had not expected such a complaint. Before she could even recover from that shock, a similar disaster struck closer to home. She had personally purchased a pair for an important occasion—only to watch them collapse after one wear.
Frustrated and disheartened, Mrs. Elizabeth decided to confront her Lagos supplier. But as she narrated her ordeal, the lady who sold her the shoes at #63,000 reacted bitterly, showing little empathy for the losses and embarrassment Mrs. Elizabeth had suffered.
It was a harsh lesson: in a world built on trust, when quality wears thin, so does reputation.
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