“Pat, listen to me! I need you to count your losses and move on. There’s no getting back your money – it’s all gone,” says Wale. Often times, even in the most sane climes, there’s always a well-calculated splash of lawlessness.
I was born in the last decade of the twentieth century. Ever since, sadly but not unexpectedly, the ever-increasing Nigerian population remains densely drenched in appalling penury.
Talk about crass disregard for lawful living, and there’s no doubt whatsoever that the Nigerian society takes a reckoning fore. Sometimes, I imagine Nigeria to be a random individual whose survival depends largely not on blood transported by the arteries and veins but on lawlessness.
Many years ago, Pat had bought a parcel of land somewhere in Nigeria. A few years down the line, some government, which cared less about constitutional rights, simply took over Pat’s property. Even though he had all the necessary papers, it meant nothing.
Days ago, Mr. Oseni Rufai, a political analyst with Arise TV, commented on a certain sexual allegation matter between Senator. Natasha and the President of the Senate, Senator. God’swill Akpabio. “I am sad…the Natasha case would probably just be forgotten by this time next week. Ordinarily, the Senate President ought to step aside from his role and allow for a thorough investigation into the allegations put forth against his person. But this is Nigeria, and the Senate President would only do so if the President says so.”
I reckon that lawlessness is not exclusive to the Nigerian state. It is a global phenomenon with cancerous dynamics. However, one cannot but get infuriated at the many stories of injustices that are birthed and nurtured daily in here. If Misha Glenny were to write a second edition of his book “Mc Mafia”, I am certain that he’d devote half the chapters to the Nigerian political collection.
From missing millions/billions, coordinated kidnaps, terrorism, judicial abuse, crystal-clear subversion of justice, pogroms, alienation of certain groups from the crescendo of political power, and many more shades of gloom, one cannot but look on regretfully at the journey of Nigeria thus far.
Listen up! At a time not too long ago, along the coast of Lagos, a certain relaxation hub owned by a firm named Landmark, with a value of several billions of naira, was demolished by the current administration for something more grand – a coastal highway. Whether Landmark got compensated or not remains a mystery. The whole process leading to the demolition was done hurriedly.
Also in Lagos, the richest living Nigerian, Alhaji Dangote, claimed to have paid the government of the day a sum of about $100 million as payment for the purchase of the Lekki trade zone. As usual, the matter only became known to the public when the NNPC and Dangote Refinery had issues.
Today, Nigeria is no longer concerned about Landmark, Dangote, or NNPC. Instead, about two weeks ago, it was all about a certain rhinoplastic patient named Siczalkoma, and this week, Uncle Burna Boy’s “Lambo or Lamba” is on.
The curse of Nigeria is not only about poor institutions but also about a tale of a people with an honorable inclination to forget. An inclination that has become a fertile ground for the planting of lawlessness. In my years of observation, I think that the average Nigerian youth is more concerned about Tiktok, Instagram and other social media platform rather than burning issues.
How then do we deal with this menance? Re-orientation! We must tell our people the truth as it were. A mediocre mindset does not create lawful living. This must be our gospel always.
– Olayinka Kayode writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State.
