HOW FAR CAN WE TRUDGE WITH VENALITY ?
By Mcanthony ONUOHA
The undisputable reality of the transience of life can be said to be the single most important factor that continually pricks and reminds both the rich, the poor, the oppressor and the oppressed, the mortality nature of man.
But sadly, the consciences of most people have been seared with hot iron.
Aside superfluous accumulation of wealth, and inordinate search for political power, there has continued to be a bizarre rise in the number of homosapiens with incongruous ambitions to become stupendously rich, the means and source, notwithstanding. Incidentally, such ambitions are responsible for a highly corrupt and crime filled society that all of us are today, unavoidably part of.
However, the unquantifiable greed that triggered the perennial looting of our common treasury by public servants and occupiers of political offices, has undoubtedly to a large extent, invaded our minds and negatively impressed upon the hearts of ‘would be’ public servants and aspiring political officers most especially, the youths, as everyone earnestly craves for the slightest opportunity to loot and pillage.
Sadly, the crop of public servants and political office holders we have at this time and era, by their deeds, have not only betrayed our collective trust but debilitated the economy, the pride of the nation as well as the voices of conscience.
Amazingly, people are no longer disturbed by treasury thefts, underhandedness or fraudulent acquisition of wealth as anyone that suddenly becomes rich is automatically a celebrity, and is conferred with various chieftaincy titles and unmerited honours and accolades by kingdoms, communities and organizations across the country and beyond.
To impressionable minds, pillaging and looting of public fund is today one of the socially acceptable means of becoming wealthy. And unfortunately, families and the society at large have openly encouraged theft of public fund, creating the impression that it belongs to no one.
Unbelievably, Nigerian politics has overtime thrown up aspirants who embellish their manifestos with seemingly fake promises of “l will nip corruption in the bud if given the mandate”, but as saintly as they claim to be, the first year of their administrations have always seen them thoroughly enmeshed in the same corruption as they literally unashamedly, drop the fight against corrupt practices, and rather use the agencies to hound perceived political enemies until the expiration of their tenures.
Countries like Singapore, Malaysia and others who in their quest for improved economy and infrastructures, instituted systems that are alien to corruption and remain poised to becoming super economies, are today, rated much better than Nigeria in all essential aspects. And their present statuses were achieved by their indigenous leaders and not expatriates.
Looting and pillaging of public fund have changed the statuses of quite a number of people who have had the opportunities to occupy public and political offices at one time or the other. Their disservice to the nation in the course of duty moved them from the middle class in the society ( the bourgeoisie),to that of the super rich. And majority of them today, have continued to earn pension and other allowances since the system openly okays unmerited emoluments.
Since those who are authorized by law to fight against fraudulent practices are the ones who aid and abate the act as anyone who stands up against fraud or any form of corrupt practices becomes a threat and is hounded, let the looters and their cohorts continue to enjoy the sauce while it lasts as we hopefully expect the day a real change agent will mount the saddle of leadership.
