Nigerian actor and politician, Olumide Oworu, has criticised both government leadership and public attitudes toward corruption, saying the different reactions to petty theft and large-scale looting expose a deeper societal problem.
Oworu made the comments during an interview on The Clarity Zone Podcast, which he shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday. In the interview, he questioned whether government policies have had any visible positive impact on the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians.
He asked, “How many things can we see on a day-to-day basis that actually show this government being intentional with the welfare of the average Nigerian?”
The actor contrasted how Nigerians react to minor offences with how they respond to major corruption scandals.
“Someone steals a generator worth a small amount and people want to kill him. But when billions of naira meant for the public disappear, everyone just keeps quiet,” he said.
According to Oworu, the frequent appearance of headlines about missing public funds without meaningful consequences reflects a worrying state of affairs in the country.
“The fact that such headlines can even be printed shows the state of our society,” he noted.
He also condemned the practice of mob attacks on suspected petty thieves while those accused of looting public resources are sometimes celebrated.
“You see someone accused of stealing something on the road and people beat the person, set him on fire or attempt to lynch him. Yet those looting your collective wealth are still being praised. Where is that same energy?” he asked.
Oworu added that the real measure of a government’s performance should be the well-being of ordinary citizens.
“The success of any government should be measured by the condition of the average person. If the average citizen cannot even say, ‘things are hard but the government is trying,’ then it is not good enough,” he said.
He further raised concerns about the value of education in Nigeria, noting that although universities now experience fewer disruptions, many graduates still struggle to find employment.
“But what exactly did they learn in school? And when they graduate, what jobs are waiting for them?” he asked.
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