"Where there is no shame, there is no honor." ~ African Proverb
"This post was written but unpublished last February 2012. I kept it thinking things will change and that my understanding on national issues then was misguided or unfounded. But as things stand, this ship called Nigeria has since pointed in one direction: Corrupt and progressively moving backwards." ~ Chi Josh
I once argued with my colleague at my place of work one holy Monday morning while reading through daily journals and finding that the level of corruption in Nigeria has no sign of decreasing but strong indication of greater advancement from what it is. This however led to certain analysis and considerations towards writing this post.
In this post, I hope to systematically delineate what is entailed in the accomplishment of cultural amalgamation and what is at stake when its ideology abolished or gets unhinged from our reality.
After series of attacks and counter attacks, allegations, insults emanating from our argument on various issues confronting the nation, I finally concluded by suggesting to him in simple but thought provoking sentence saying, "then it means 'Corruption Is Our culture.'" At this he clearly objected to with a stern face knowing I never intended it to excluded him (or even myself), since he takes the stand to portray the nation as a holy haven where poor and rich dine together (my apologies to my colleague).
Perhaps, you might hold a contrary view to my mine. But relax and let me take you on a journey into my world of reasoning and leftist ideology.
Above all, I am an Idealist and no partisan to any political party but a socialist to the real ethics of Politics practiced with intention to empower, enlighten and instruct positive life changing policies not as witnessed in our beloved country Nigeria.
I did a meaningful research on the word CULTURE using search engine to get a clear understanding of the word, and its usage.
Culture - "The sum of attitudes, customs, and beliefs that distinguishes one group of people from another. Culture is transmitted, through language, material objects, ritual, institutions, and art, from one generation to the next."
1. the total of the inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge, which constitute the shared bases of social action
2. the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions, which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group: the Mayan culture
3. a particular civilization at a particular period
4. the artistic and social pursuits, expression, and tastes valued by a society or class, as in the arts, manners, dress, etc
5. the enlightenment or refinement resulting from these pursuits
6. the attitudes, feelings, values, and behavior that characterize and inform society as a whole or any social group within it: yob culture
These are but a few meaning I got from random sampling which I found was noteworthy.
Transparency Int’l rates Nigeria as the 35th most corrupt in the world. The concept of Nigeria being synonymous with corruption or Nigeria ranked among top corrupt nations could be a deterrent to our sovereignty, but this fact can be better understood as general approach.
Contrary to what we believe, from various government propaganda, corruption became our culture since the day Nine in every Ten Nigerian began considering the Civil service/ political appointment a National cake where you "Eat in and Take Away".
Since the polity became a do or die affair as witnessed in most states of the federation where people are murdered for anticipating political appointment/ position.
Since ministerial appointment comes with jumbo pay and over-bloated allowance hamper.
Since 83.9% of Nigerians live below $2.00 a day and the remaining 16.1% controls the glaring doom of the nation.
Children, among others, suffer from these changes, as all manner of public maladministration, misappropriation of funds takes place - including educational degredation, social entanglement, increasing maternal mortality rate, poor housing and health care scheme - as part of and in concert with a relative lack of corporate commitment to a particular sector of the economy.
It is high time we stop blowing trumpet about what is not in this country and start focusing on implementing human developmental/ people oriented policies.
Of course there is far cry on the inherited democratic constitution which its recurrent amendment has led us to a state of near-anarchy. Where industrial monopoly, unstable power supply, uninterrupted corrupt malpractices, educational degradation, suicide bombings have become the norm, with little or nothing done to curtail it.
If first things are to be considered first then acceptance of who we are NOW must be paramount, else the concept of change will never be actualized.
Like Clark Moustakas said, "Accept everything about yourself--I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end--no apologies, no regrets."
Only by acceptance of the past, can we alter the present and like Ben Sweet rightfully said, "The greatest success, is successful self acceptance."
We the citizen of this country (Nigeria) must first understand that this concept and ideology of corruption has sunk into each and every one of us and thus be willing to restructure our minds, not in the direction of pointing fingers or shielding a corrupt official under the umbrella of religion, political party, tribe or ethnic setting but in admitting that we all are corrupt. Then and only then can we focus on addressing this issue of corruption.
No name calling, no religiopolitical sentiment and bigotry. Just us and commonsense playing out. Agree if you will, the truth still stands, corruption has eaten deep into our psychology of reasoning. Rather than calling a spade spade we base our criticism on irrelevant factors that don't add up. Well, corruption will destroy us if we don't destroy it.
"Now, just recently a Man who stole N32.8billion in the Police Pension scam, was convicted to two years on each of three charges, but offered a go-home option of a fine of N250,000.
Impunity and corruption flourishes unabated in the Nigerian justice system. Hmmm....I wonder what ideology or system/process of curtailing corruption and maintaining public confidence in the judicial system the youths are taught in our higher institutions today?
CRASS JUDGMENT! A blow on national dignity and conscience. Even a young lad can discern the fallacy in this misguided judgement from the Abuja High Court of lacking commonsense.
Woefully, even the judicial system which is the last hope of the common man is not spared of this corruption syndrome.
NAIJA! I HAIL THEE!"
Saharareporters: Nigerian Official Convicted For Stealing $203 Million Gets Two Years in Jail, Or Option Of $1,500 Fine
