Nigeria, March 11 -- A few days ago, a stroll through the vibrant campus of the University of Abuja felt like stepping into a carefully choreographed scene. Clusters of students in bright yellow shirts and black trousers moved with quiet confidence, gathering in laboratories and lecture halls as though united by an invisible thread. Curiosity nudged me forward. When I asked one of them which department owned this burst of coordinated color, he smiled and replied, "Engineering." The word carried a certain pride, as if the uniform were not merely fabric but a badge of identity.

This time, however, I exercised caution. Experience had once humbled me. On a previous occasion, I had spotted a group in blue shirts and black trousers and, in my...