WE DON’T TRUST TRUST

By Obinna Omotayo Jones

The average Nigerian (by average I mean all who grew up in the country) have what is called trust-issues. This is simply having a big problem trusting people, including their way of life and/or statements.

The following hypothesis or conclusions are not as a result of research but you all would agree that it is logical. (At least some of  you).

I think the problem started a long time ago that many of us do not seem to remember, I think it is really the way we were brought up. Unlike more informed and sensitive parents, our parents overlooked many things that ended up rubbing off us.

Remember when you asked dad for an air-plane like those you saw on TV and he didn’t tell you that you couldn’t own an air-plane as young as you were then, he just laughed and when your pestering was getting too much he just said: “Okay, Andy, I’ll get you one on your next birthday.” Sure, you definitely won’t remember the degree of your
disappointment, oh you were so young, but the subconscious part of your brain remembers.

Fast-forward, twenty years, a fatherly figure comes on live TV tells us all that change is coming, we hope but our subconscious, ever conscious, reminds us that they are all the same (not forgetting that truly they are all the same, the politicians I mean) so when we hope and there is a propaganda, an event, a statement, a tragedy or any hoola boola, our subconscious kicks in: “Dear Andy, forgotten the air-planes so fast? What of the go-and-wear-your-slippers speeches? Or the I’ll-just-be-going-to-buy-something-there statements?”, then we rage, on twitter, facebook and everywhere: They are all liars! (They may truly be).

The doubting spirit has been sown too deep, we can’t get it out of our systems, we can only correct it in our children.

(You’ll even say the account wasn’t hacked).