Season of Greeds and Political Misfortunes

By

belloskic@yahoo.com

Over the years, the Nigerian federation has undergone both vertical and horizontal surgery, from its different surgeons (leaders). These surgeons disserted the anatomy of Nigeria problems, according to their various sphere of competence and incompetence. The major symptoms responsible for the various abnormalities of the sick person called Nigeria was later recognized, to be a disease called greediness and outright thievery of the patients’ resources by these surgeons, who ought to be protecting the life of their patients.

Naturally, this country (Nigeria) ought not to be poor country; but, outright stealing and pauperization of the people by its leaders has render this promising giant into a state of dwarf among comity of nations. A nation at independent, which promised to be a beckoned of hope for Africans, has become an embarrassment to her African brothers and sisters. A country with huge resources both mineral and manpower, but yet all these resource is of no benefit to the majority of its inhabitants except some tiny few; who not only plunder and raped the country but also destroying the fabrics of the society.

Corruption and disregard to rules and regulations are major crisis bedeviling this country. Today, as results of these factors, Nigeria is looking like a permanent state of accident; an old car, whose engine has warm-out and makes the loudest noise without any specific destination. Nigeria was saddled with terrible leadership who failed to tackle the crisis of nation building; that is why we are where we are today.

The returned to democratic rule, was greeted with fanfare and high optimism by the common man in the street; because, it’s believe that, democracy has strong appeals among the masses and give them the ability to control those who make decision for their welfare, through the periodic popular election. Nine (9) years into democratic journey, Nigerian politicians seems to be poor students of history. From local level up to the federal government, greediness and corruption seems to be the language these leaders understand most. This seriously dwindle the political fortunes of the Nigerian state.

Democracy comes with its own materialistic incline elite. These new ruling elite replaced the military cabals, in the pursuits of ostentations life style, which today is causing a lot of hardship to the majority. The masses were left at the mercy of hoping that the good Lord will salvage the situation for them. The desire to acquire wealth, at all cost by these new crops of leaders, is the by product of general underdevelopment we are witnessing in this country today. It is often said, that, when greed people rules a nation, they transform its social life into field of disputes and dissertation in the place of justice, security and stability. Naturally, in such a society moral excellence and spirituality do not stand a chance. No wonder today, from all parts of this country, we are passing through trying timing; inter/intral ethnic and religious crisis, corruption, pitfalls of moral and spiritual values and the general poverty that has penetrated our soul and body. There seems, to be, a general confusion and frustration among Nigerians, on where we are heading as a nation?

Today, people go into politics, not with the mindsets and ability to transform the life of the people they are supposes to represent, NO! But, with the mindset, that, politics is the easiest arbiter, to wealth and social status in the society. Democracy and governance is not about the people and by the people; but by few people for their interest and the wealth and powers they are able to acquire. This new orientations has seriously eroded the value system of Nigeria. An average Nigeria has lost faith in project Nigeria, as result of the plunder and raped of the country’s collective destiny by these Lilliputian ruling elites. Democracy has become the greatest disappointment to the Nigeria’s people, which makes, most of us to ask, some basic question; if truly this is the democracy we fought for against the over-bearing firing squad of the military juntas? I believe your answers are as good as mine.

The naked greed of Nigerian elite, in all seasons has serious political misfortune on democratic and political development. Projects and services that provide and alleviate the suffering and standard of living of the masses were abandoned; in their place, programmes and projects that have no direct bearing on the life of the people, but serve as avenue for looting and squandering the peoples’ resources are pursuit religiously. The outright greediness that pervaded the landscape of the country is creating its unique characteristics of miseries and underdevelopment. Today, these leaders’ lust for power has no moral boundary. That is why these Lilliputians leaders, are ready to use all form of unconventional methods to realize their objectives. These methods include rigging of elections, creating crisis to divide the people, creating artificial scarcity and poverty, to force the people to submit to their dictates; in order for them to survive etc. What a pity!  

Surely, a person with greed is a humiliated and poor slave to the world and money. These leaders have surrendered their neck to the chains of wealth they have illegally acquired. They believe that their wealth, which will be enough for their descendents in a lifetime, will serve them till eternity. They failed to realize that when the bell of dangers and death announcing their final day on earth, their wealth and social status will not help them. This period as terrifying as its, they look at their wealth, for which they have wasted all their life, with sorrow and disappointment knowing that it is useless to them in their grave- the grave to which he carries sorrow for the many errors they have committed throughout their life.

When will Nigerian leaders realized that wealth is not everything in man’s life? Nor does their real happiness lies in acquiring and amassing great wealth! This new orientations is seriously affecting our youths, who are suppose to checkmate the crumbs that are falling from their elders tables. Today, it is not an open secret that our generation will be worst than the present rotting old generation, if care is not taking. This is what greediness does to the moral fabric of any society. The youth of these generation, waste most of their precious time on frivolities that brings about no development to themselves and the country. The inability to have sound and conscious youths who ought to be the vanguard of change and revolution is a major crisis of nation building in Nigeria today.

Let make Nigeria work through provision of needed resource and developmental initiatives that will develop our country. If only our leaders will understand and realize that there more resources to go around and still remain for them to loot and squander; if only they can allow the system to function as it suppose to. The outright thievery and greed is causing so many misfortunes to the political and economic stability of the country. This has crushed our collective self esteem as people and as a nation. Thus leading to daily migration of the people to foreign countries as refuges, since their country can not offers them the much desires future for them and their children.

Finally, I take solaces in concluding this discussion with a quotation from the Prophet of God Muhammadu (SWA) who said “refrain from greed, for those who were before you perished as result of greed. Greed commands them to sin and they sinned”. So before we perish as people and a country let redirect our greed towards actions that make our society thick and purposeful. Both the leaders and the followers alike have responsibility to reform ourselves towards things that are beneficial to us and our children. Reform of the Nigeria state must begin with you and then spread to all fabrics of the society. Let turn new leaves and harvest new farm products in this beautiful and big farmland called Nigeria.