Ebuka Ukoh Urges Nigerians: What Are You Spreading in 2026?

By Emmanuel Kwada

As Nigeria ushers in 2026 amid ongoing economic hardships and social challenges, commentator Ebuka Ukoh has called on citizens to intentionally spread positive values that strengthen society, warning that negative habits multiply just as easily as constructive ones.

In an op-ed piece published on January 2, 2026, titled “What Are You Spreading in 2026?”, Ukoh, a PhD student at Columbia University and alumnus of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, frames the new year as a pivotal moment for personal and collective responsibility.

“Every new year carries a promise. But some carry an instruction. Twenty-twenty-six arrives not as a whisper but as a charge. It asks a simple question: What are you spreading?” Ukoh writes.

Drawing from biblical references such as the Book of Genesis and the parable of the leavened bread, he illustrates how small influences—whether positive or negative—can transform entire systems. “A small element introduced into ordinary dough changes everything. Not through volume, but through influence,” he notes, emphasizing that this principle applies beyond religion to everyday societal patterns.

Ukoh highlights Nigeria’s recent struggles, pointing out that rising prices, deepening insecurity, and eroding public trust did not emerge suddenly but grew from tolerated habits, silences, and neglect. “No nation collapses suddenly. It drifts when the wrong things multiply quietly,” he argues.

He stresses that change begins at the individual level, without needing a large platform. Teachers, traders, civil servants, parents, and students can all act as “multipliers” by spreading discipline, fairness, accountability, and hope in their daily spheres.

“Spreading does not require a platform. It requires alignment,” Ukoh asserts, adding that “the future of Nigeria will not be decided only by budgets and elections. It will be decided by what spreads in everyday conduct.”

Concluding on an optimistic yet urgent note, he urges deliberate choices: “Spread discipline instead of excuses. Spread learning instead of shortcuts. Spread responsibility instead of complaint. Spread peace instead of panic. Spread hope that is anchored in action, not slogans.”

Ukoh’s piece serves as a motivational call to action, reminding Nigerians that personal integrity can reshape culture and secure a better tomorrow.