Nigeria, April 30 -- There is a quiet but deeply rooted sickness in Nigeria that poisons relationships, stifles ambition and fuels bitterness in even the most ordinary settings. It is envy. Not just the common type, but a dangerous variety that turns people into gatekeepers of misery, determined to punish anyone who refuses to suffer with them. I have encountered this bitterness in many places, and I have never made the mistake of confusing it for anything else.

During my national youth service, I was once driving from Lagos to New Bussa with my brother and friend, Dawood Yusuf. Somewhere outside Jebba, a Road Safety officer flagged us down. He looked angry the moment he saw us. I introduced myself as a corps member, thinking that might ...