Lately, I’ve been writing about heartbreak, pain, and the frustrations we face with our system, and a part of me feels like, ok, we can’t hide our heads in the sand… and my research is basically an internal critique on Nagaland...
And so, like the Hebrew Prophets, my writings are a mix of lament, venting and critique (both self- and society). I am like the 'weeping Prophet' at times, and no wonder that Nevi or Nevi'im (נְבִיאִים) basically means 'prophets' in Hebrew. Writing for me is a 'bell jar' mode that gets activated. It is sour, it's bitter, it's pain and angst mixed together.
Why should we play the fiddle while Rome burns?
But this time, a glimmer of hope arose, which came in the form of a YT update.
It made me realise that even in our land of barbed wire, AK-47s, potholes, and government jobs filled through backdoor deals, there might still be some 'good.'
It reminded me of the verse from John’s Gospel, ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’(John 1:46)
In our state, as we say in Nagamese, ‘heights of corruption hoishay.’
Corruption has become a way of life (Wouters, 2018) and a social norm (Odyou, 2022). If we talk to any lay Naga, we will hear that almost every problem, jobs, roads, electricity, water, or even extortion, traces back to corruption. Even things like auto parking fees are affected by poor administration stemming from a lack of governance, which, in turn, is rooted in corruption. I often meet young entrepreneurs here in my hometown of Dimapur, and our conversations always range from the weather, roads, to...corruption. There is no end to it; it’s like a default system imprinted in our society.
This time, even as the local news about the gun robbery and auto-parking fees was unfolding, I could not help but notice, in the comment sections, the usual rant circling back to corruption. (“Beneath the Safe Surface: Naga Woman Robbed at Gunpoint by Masked Man at Aokong Colony, DMP,” YouTube video, posted by Global Window, accessed April 23, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDrxyDMZTDE).
And, (“DMP: DAN Official Responds; Auto Parking Near Town Hall, Supermarket Under Scanner,” YouTube video, posted by Nagaland News Network, accessed April 23, 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD1nAv04LGw).
Both incidents again had the same usual comments from local Nagas, lamenting about ‘corruption’ in our society.
Still, before I get lost in the rabbit hole of this topic, I want to focus on the good that exists here.
Can anything good come from Nagaland?
There are a few good men and women, and today I want to talk about them. I realised this when I saw local news about Dr Mhasiseno T. Belho’s new project in Dimapur and the IVF centre. ( “1st of Its Kind: Dr Belho’s Clinic & Children’s Hosp. Partners with Nova IVF for IVF & IUI Treatment,” YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlUvCf1EcBo.)
We often travel to cities like Delhi or Guwahati for treatment, a common practice among many Nagas seeking medical care. Our state lacks the infrastructure for an effective healthcare system, often due to corruption. But people like Dr Mhasiseno have made a difference; their efforts have brought real benefits. It’s not just about the IVF centre; people like her, who have had access to good education, have come back here, opened a hospital, created jobs, and set up a system that works.
This made me think of others who have done the same.
Those could have chosen a comfortable life, travelling the world and enjoying luxury, but instead, they returned to their hometowns to start businesses, cafes, bookshops, hotels, or music schools, and in this way, they create jobs and help our hometowns grow.
I personally know at least eight people who have done this. Those who studied in the UK, Australia, Bangalore, Delhi, and have chosen to come back to Nagaland, opened their centres of clothing wear, cafes, schools etc; and it’s like a small yet well-oiled machine that works, and it’s a win-win, there are no losers here.
One of the largest issues plaguing our Naga society (againnnnn stemming from corruption) is what we infamously call ‘educated unemployment.’ (Lakhs of educated college goers, with a University degree, and no jobs, educated, over-qualified and unemployed!)
But the faithful few, the remnant, have somehow done their part, and in turn it benefits not only them, but the society, so kudos to these 'good' ones!
These examples prove that good things can come out of Nagaland. It’s an initiative that endures. These are the ones who see hope even in tough times, who perhaps face threats and endless extortion letters, who face endless government bureaucracy, in a state where there are endless bad roads and electricity failures are the daily lament of an ordinary Naga, but they are the ones who keep going against the tide.
I always say, if you can make it in Dimapur, a town that sometimes feels like Gotham City, you can make it anywhere!
There’s no better place to test us, and no better place to inspire us to do good, be good, and work for the common good.
Kevi u uya.
