The Pride of Suffering: Why Many Nigerians Glorify Struggle Over Smart Work

        There’s an popular saying in Nigeria: “You must suffer before you enjoy.” It’s often said with pride, like a badge of honor. But beneath it lies a mindset that has silently shaped the way millions of Nigerians approach life, work, success, and even innovation.

In other cultures, suffering is a phase to survive and learn from. In many Nigerian households, hard work is synonymous with hardship. The more you suffer to achieve something, the more respect and praise you get—even if that suffering was unnecessary. 

People are conditioned to believe that ease or simplicity equals laziness, and any shortcut, no matter how legitimate or efficient, is seen as cheating.

And because of this belief, many Nigerians deliberately choose the most inefficient, tedious, and outdated routes to achieve their goals—even when faster, smarter alternatives exist.

But here’s the twist: it’s not that Nigerians don’t want better methods or innovation but that they find it hard to adapt to better methods. The problem is deeper—it’s ego. It’s pride.

They don’t want to admit that the five years they spent doing something the hard way could’ve been achieved in one. They don’t want to accept that their “hard work” was mostly wasted energy. To do so would mean admitting they were wrong—and in this culture, being wrong is shameful. So they cling to the struggle, polish it up, and parade it as a badge of honor.

You’ll hear things like:

“Back in my day, we trekked 10 miles to school” (when there are buses available)

“Even while I was working , I used to wake at 3am and cook for 2 hours” (when they could’ve bought it and saved time)

“I did 10 years of menial jobs before I made it” (but never paused to ask if that was the only way)

        People spend years chasing a degree they don’t need or want, even when they’ve discovered better paths—because “you must finish what you started” , “Do it so you'll have something to tell people” or “suffer small.”

       Some Nigerians avoid opportunities that bring quicker income or flexibility because they don’t want people to think they “they didn’t work hard.” This cultural pride in redundant suffering slows innovation. It glorifies outdated systems and makes people skeptical of anything that appears “simple”.

 Even when presented with faster, smarter ways to achieve success, many Nigerians reject them, not because they don’t work—but because they’re too afraid of what it says about their past. It invalidates the suffering they’ve built their identity around.

This is why many older generations still resist technology, automation, or strategic thinking. They can’t handle the idea that the world has moved on—and left their methods behind. It’s not just ignorance. It’s emotional. It’s cultural. It’s identity.

How Can We Ensure Our Suffering Leads To “Enjoyment”?

1. Redefine Hard Work: 

     Hard work isn’t about pain. It’s about results. Like a farmer using a tractor—he’s just more effective. Hard work doesn’t mean suffering. It means consistency, learning, and smart decision-making.

 If you’re struggling and not making progress, it’s not noble—it’s inefficient. You lose years going down the harder path when there was a smarter one available.

2. Respect Efficiency:

     Taking the smarter path isn’t cheating. It’s called growth. If technology, skills, or knowledge exist to shorten your struggle, use them. It’s not a crime to achieve success with less stress. It’s actually wisdom.

 Learn to appreciate those who think smarter, not just those who work harder. While you’re trying to prove you can suffer, others are moving ahead using innovation, speed, and strategic thinking.

3. Challenge Redundant Traditions: 

     Ask yourself: Is this path necessary or just familiar? Sometimes, we choose pain simply because we’ve been conditioned to see comfort as weakness. Why adopt new tools when the old hard way “builds character”? Just because it’s “how we’ve always done it” doesn’t mean it’s the best way.

 Ask questions. Innovate. Challenge processes that waste time and energy. A society that fears simplicity will resist progress. 

4. Embrace Change Without Shame: 

         Admitting that there’s a better way doesn’t make your past worthless. It makes your future wiser. Most importantly, it reduces Unnecessary stress, exhaustion, and even chronic illness from pushing through things that could be easier.

 Learn to admire people who succeeded with ease, clarity, and creativity—not just those who crawled through mud.

5. Start Over If Needed: 

      Time is one of your most limited assets. Don’t waste it trying to “earn” your enjoyment through unnecessary suffering. One of the hardest things for Nigerians to do is to start afresh. But the quicker you drop what’s not working, the quicker you build what will.

The truth is, life already comes with enough unavoidable hardship. Why add more suffering that doesn’t serve your goals? In a world that’s rapidly evolving, the winners are those who adapt, not those who suffer the longest.

          Until we remove the cultural obsession with suffering, we’ll keep choosing the long, painful route even when there’s a better one available—and worst of all, we’ll shame those who choose smarter paths.

Breaking free from the “suffer before you enjoy” mentality is not about being lazy—it’s about being intentional. It’s about saying: I deserve a life that works, not just one that hurts.

We have to learn to stop honoring suffering for suffering’s sake. There’s no trophy for pain. The only real reward comes from progress—and progress doesn’t have to hurt as much.

Because suffering may build resilience—but wisdom builds wealth.

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