Taking Action in the Midst of Inaction

Taking action when others remain passive is one of the highest achievements anyone can aspire to. For months, Sade had watched her neighbours complain about the broken streetlights on their road. Every night, the street was swallowed by darkness, making it a perfect spot for thieves to operate. People grumbled, shook their heads, and went about their lives, waiting for the government to fix it.One evening, after hearing yet another person say, ‘Na like this we go dey?’ Sade sighed. She had heard enough.Nobody was taking action—so she decided to.She remembered how, in the past, communities took responsibility for their own development. When a neighbourhood needed amenities, people came together to provide them.Sade knew something had to be done.With the cooperation of local government officials, she launched an online petition. She took pictures of the dark street and shared them with a powerful caption: ‘Let us fix our road! It belongs to us.’The post gained traction. People commented, shared their frustrations, and some even pledged small amounts of money. Within a week, Sade had gathered enough funds to buy solar-powered streetlights.On installation day, residents watched in awe as electricians fixed the first light. An old man shook his head and said, ‘So we fit do am since?’Sade smiled. Yes, they could have. They just never tried.That night, as the street lit up for the first time in years, Sade realised something: when people do not talk about solutions, it does not mean you cannot act. Sometimes, change begins when one person decides to stop waiting.