Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears (Laird Hamilton).
There is arguably nothing easier than blaming the other person for everything that is wrong. You will observe this behaviour in a relationship, a partnership or a group – in almost anything that involves more than a person – when things go wrong.
It is stale information stating that things are not going as expected in this country. The beautiful ones have been corrupted.
Every other day you hear some bad thing done by those people up there – the ‘ogas at the top.’ Strange country where people that ought to be the servants lord it over all. Strange.
Those who have been selected to supervise the affairs of the country and see to its progress are threatening to run it aground through their deplorable actions. Talk about poverty of the mind and failure to see beyond the ephemeral and temporary.
How did we get here?
Every day we hear of how many Nigerians are finding it hard to get by. A large number are without jobs. And a significant portion of those with jobs are living from hand to mouth.
It appears like the number of capable people begging out there appears to be increasing by the day. Can you really blame only them? Where are the jobs and government contracts?
In the midst of all this, the so-called servants of the people are living large. They keep allocating huge amounts to themselves and well-paying government jobs to their own. Those who aren’t their relatives but whom they are representing can go ahead and die!
It is not surprising then to see people blaming the corrupt politicians in place of authority for the woes of the country. Yes, those people are obviously a major reason why we are here today, stagnant and with many evils around.
But are they only to be blamed? No!
Many of us contribute to the problem of this society. After all, these politicians didn’t fall from heaven – they are from among us. They are, therefore, essentially a reflection of our society.
You are probably doing something right now or as part of your regular day that is contributing to the problem of the country.
Check Yourself
Next time, before you place the blame for the country’s woe at the door step of corrupt politicians, make sure there’s no log in your own eyes. We often write off our own wrongdoings as negligible while blowing up others’.
There are several ways you may be contributing to the problem of this country but fail or care not to pay attention to them. Realizing this is a matter of how alive is your conscience and how principled you are.
Let me cite a few instances where many of us contribute to Nigeria’s woes without paying due attention.
Vote-selling
You are among our problems in this country if you sell your vote.
Do you think a politician love you so much to pay you to vote for him? Do not be fooled!
That man who paid you sees you as a fool who can be bought. He is a business man, paying little with the hope of reaping much. When he starts fleecing and milking the people afterwards, you should not complain but must ask God for forgiveness.
Well, you might think to yourself that you are only taking your part of the ‘national cake.’ Would you really consider N2,000 or even N100,000 all the benefits you deserve from your country? Mind you, the corrupt politician will make you pay more afterward.
Whatever money you are paid for your vote will only last you a short while – a few days or weeks. But the money politicians will embezzle will not only deprive you but also your children and grandchildren of essential amenities.
Lackadaisical attitude to work
Corruption is everywhere, I know. But does it mean you should also be a participant?
It is almost normal these days to go to government offices and parastatals and having to beg the workers there to do the duties they are getting a salary for. Most there feel like they are doing you a favour with their rude attitudes. Heck!
If you live around here, you should no longer find it surprising being asked to pay multiple times the official charges for some services. But those who should look into these bad practices seem not interested in doing anything. Practically anything goes.
Know that you are a part of our problems in this country if you fall in this category of people. God is watching us all.
Law-breaking
Some will often say that everybody is a thief, but only the one that gets caught is described as one. How convenient! I always count myself out whenever I hear that, though.
Essentially, people who say such things think everybody is a law-breaker. Are you one? I say count me out, please. Thank you.
We are part of the problem if we prefer to break the law when we are not likely to get caught, even when doing the right thing won’t cost us a thing. The same is true if we think we can always simply grease some people’s palms if we do get caught.
Something as ‘trivial’ as littering – dropping of wastes such as nylons and cans – on the road is part of the problem. Such might appear negligible, but the truth is that it is a sign of irresponsibility.
If we cannot do something less-demanding rightly, how can we expect to fare much better with those that require greater strength of character?
Before you blame politicians or the other man for the problems in this country, please check yourself first. Let’s try to become a better person so that we can then rightly condemn corruption and other wrongdoings with a clear conscience.
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