News

[OPINION] Breaking Bad: The Nigerian Episode

Published

8 months ago

April 16, 2025

By Israel Adebiyi

There is a moment in the iconic series
_Breaking Bad_ when Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin, declares, “I am not in danger… I am the danger.” That transformation—from a man broken by a failed system to one willing to burn it all down—captures the soul of a story far beyond television. It captures Nigeria.

Ours is a country where the line between villain and victim often blurs. Where desperation becomes a driving force and crime can masquerade as strategy. And like Walter White, many Nigerians—especially the youth—are forced to break bad, not because they are evil, but because they have been cornered by a system that does not work.

For example, we must ask ourselves: what becomes of the honest man in a dishonest system? Walter White did not start off as a criminal. He was a teacher, a father, a man with pride and potential—crushed by a healthcare system that could not save his life, a job that could not pay his bills, and a nation that offered him nothing but slow death. In Nigeria, thousands of graduates roam the streets jobless. Skilled professionals migrate en masse, not for adventure but for survival. Honest men and women are broken daily by a system that undermines integrity and rewards manipulation. They “break bad”—morally, mentally, and sometimes criminally.

The tragedy, both in the show and in Nigeria, is not the struggle but the system that fails its people. Walter’s cancer diagnosis was not the villain. The villain was the structure that made illegal drug production seem like a legitimate way to fund treatment. Similarly, Nigeria’s tragedy is not only in its poverty—it is in the betrayal of its promise. A country endowed with oil wealth cannot provide basic electricity, quality education, or even security. Pensioners die waiting to be paid. Students lose years to strikes. The social contract is constantly breached—and when the people get tired, they stop playing by the rules.

As people adapt, morality itself becomes political. Walter justified his crimes by claiming he did it for his family. In Nigeria, we hear the same rationalizations: Politicians loot to “secure the future” for their children; clergies cover abuse to “protect the gospel”; the middle class stays silent to “avoid trouble.” The line between right and wrong fades when survival becomes the only metric. But the same justifications that fuel survival also fertilize corruption—and the descent becomes cultural.

This breakdown persists because of weak institutions and selective justice. In _Breaking Bad, law enforcement is either asleep, compromised, or tragically late. Nigeria is no different. The law bends before the rich and crushes the poor. When a politician steals billions, he is celebrated with chieftaincy titles. When a jobless youth steals a phone, he faces jungle justice. Our justice system does not serve—it discriminates. The problem is not just criminal behaviour—it is unequal accountability.

And then there are the Nigerian “Heisenbergs”—powerful individuals who exploit loopholes in the system to dominate it. Just as Walter evolved into a figure feared more than any cartel boss, Nigeria has birthed its own overlords in agbadas and uniforms—those who manipulate government, military, and the economy for personal gain. The parallel underworld is no longer underground—it is policy, it is power, it is public.

But perhaps what enables all of this more than anything is silence, the co-conspirator. In the show, Skyler knew. Jesse knew. Hank suspected. But they all kept quiet until it was too late. In Nigeria, we know. We see the rigging, the looting, the lies. But we shrug: “E no concern me.” “God will judge.” “Let me face my hustle.” This complicity gives corruption its staying power. When we normalize dysfunction, we forfeit the right to complain about its consequences.

Worse still is the madness of control. Walter believed he could control everything—his illness, the drug market, his family. But it all spiraled. Nigerian leaders too believe they can suppress the masses, manipulate elections, and weaponize poverty without consequence. But history disagrees. From the Aba Women’s Riot to the End SARS protests, Nigerians have shown that when the people rise, no amount of force can hold back a tidal wave of discontent.

So we must ask: must we all break bad to survive? Or can we break better? Nigeria does not need more Heisenbergs. It needs people with courage to disrupt the cycle—not with crime, but with creativity; not with silence, but with defiance. It needs voters who understand power, entrepreneurs who refuse shortcuts, clergies who preach conscience, and leaders who serve, not steal.

_Breaking Bad_ ends in fire and blood. But Nigeria does not have to. We still have a choice. A choice to stop cooking the poison and start healing the nation. A choice to stop being Walter White—and start being right.

Because Nigeria does not need another lord. It needs citizens who are tired of breaking and ready to build.

And that is the pulse. Until next week, keep your finger on it.

Writer’s note: This piece is not intended to make an excuse for criminality, deviance, or the erosion of moral values. Rather, it seeks to hold a mirror to our society—to reflect how a broken system can turn honest men into desperate actors. In Nigeria today, many argue that it is nearly impossible to succeed without engaging in some form of irregularity. That, right there, is the psychological power of a failed system: it rebrands evil as a necessary tool for survival and presents wrongdoing as the only route to being right. This piece is an indictment of such a reality and a call to re-examine the systemic dysfunctions that are normalizing corruption, compromise, and silence.

Israel Adebiyi is the Head of News, Super FM, Benin City, Edo State.

News

Insecurity: Former NYSC Director Tasks Corps Members On Self, Environmental Consciousness

Published

3 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

A retired Director, Information and Public Relations, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Directorate Headquarters, Eddy Megwa, has called on all corps members serving in the country to take their personal security seriously, always be self and environmental conscious.

The former Director made the call at the Bauchi NYSC permanent orientation camp, Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

He warned that the times were evil, therefore vigilance, self consciousness and consciousness of the environment were of paramount importance.

He also called on them to serve the nation with loyalty, commitment and zeal for patriotism, adding that no nation grew without the selfless service of the citizens and called on the corps members to rise up and make the desired change.

“I want to urge you all to deliberately work towards building a great nation of our collective dreams.

“This is because if we have a country that is working very well, the youths will not be desperate about relocating to other countries of the world for greener pastures,” he said.

Megwa further discouraged the youth from illegal migration, describing it as a suicide mission as many of such ‘desperate people’ ended up losing their lives in the Sahara desert in the most gruesome manner.

The former NYSC Spokesman encouraged the corps members to strive for excellence in all they do and achieve even what their forebears could not achieve.

“There are a whole lot of opportunities you have now and can leverage on which the older generation never had.”

He told his audience not to put their names and their families into disrepute by getting themselves involved in crimes and other unwholesome activities.

“The Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC is the panacea to graduate unemployment.

“I want to, therefore, advise you to take advantage of the programme by learning skills that will be useful to you in the future.”

Earlier, Mr Umoren Kufre, the state’s Coordinator of NYSC, appreciated the retired Director for the visit and words of motivation to both camp officials and corps members.

He described the former Director as a living legend that shaped the NYSC Public Relations Unit to what it is today and left his footprints boldly.

News

NiMet Predicts Three-day Sunshine, Cloudiness From Monday

Published

3 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday to Wednesday across the country.‎

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged sunny skies over the entire northern region throughout the forecast period on Monday.‎

It envisaged ‎sunny skies with patches of clouds over the entire central region.‎”For the southern region, ‎cloudy atmosphere with sunshine intervals is anticipated over the region with slim chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River during the afternoon to evening hours,” it said‎According to NiMet, dust haze is anticipated over Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Borno, and Yobe on Tuesday throughout the forecast period.‎It anticipated sunny skies with cloud patches over the entire central region.

“For ‎southern region, ‎cloudy skies are expected over the region with slim prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of ‎Cross River during morning hours.‎” Isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Delta, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River later in the day,” it said.‎

The agency predicted dust haze over the northern region throughout the forecast period on Wednesday.‎NiMet anticipated a sunny and hazy atmosphere over the entire central region.‎”For the southern region, cloudy atmosphere are over the region in the morning hours.‎

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers ” it said.

NiMet urged the public to drive under the rain with caution and to take necessary precautions as ‎dust particles would be in suspension over the northern region.

NiMet advised people with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues to be cautious of the present weather ‎conditions.

‎”Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.‎” Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet – visit our website – www.nimet.gov.ng.

News

MOWAA: Why I Will Not Appear Before Edo Assembly Panel — Obaseki

Published

4 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has given reasons he would not appear before the Edo State House of Assembly Ad-hoc Committee set up to investigate funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel.

The Edo Assembly set up the panel following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo that the Assembly should probe funding and ownership of the projects.

Amongst what the governor requested the Assembly to investigate is the state government’s N3.8bn investment in the MOWAA and N28bn in Radisson Hotel.

Former Governor Obaseki is scheduled to appear before the Committee on Thursday, December 4th, 2025.

The Committee, had in a letter signed by its Secretary, Bekisu Oshone Wilson, said attendance by Obaseki and others were required as part of the committee’s investigation.

Obaseki, who spoke through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said it was offensive and laughable for the Assembly to invite him over a matter that was already in court.

He said the Edo Assembly should learn to know how the law works.

The former Edo Governor said he could not be subjected to answering separately on the same issue.

“It is subjudice for the former Governor to appear before the Edo Assembly in a matter already in court.

“Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?”

Management of MOWAA had also refused to appear before the Edo Assembly Ad Hoc Committee.

Its Counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, said the Assembly could only make recommendations but that the Court would make the final decision on the issues.