THE ROT IS VERY DEEP

Since the inauguration of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, on 29^th May, 2015, attention of Nigerians and the international community has been focussed on among other issues; how to tame the hydra headed monster called Corruption. The war commenced with focus on public institutions and immediate past government officials alleged to have plundered the Treasury under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party. There are high expectations that the stolen funds would be returned to Nigeria to facilitate development.

Corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society. We conduct ourselves as if Nigeria is a country without national ethics. Section 23 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) prescribes the national ethics as: Discipline, Integrity, and Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism.

Unfortunately, the Family – the institution which is expected to inculcate these values in its members has abrogated its responsibility in pursuit of mundane issues. The Family it can be asserted without fear of contradiction has failed the nation. This position is informed by the gamut of societal ills bedevilling our country which are manifestations of moral decadence. Otherwise, what else could propel some parents who reportedly hire members of the public to write examinations on behalf of their children or purchase examination question papers thereby sending wrong message to the children that it pays to cheat? There are reports of children at such tender age in nursery schools who steal snacks from lunch boxes of other children, of university students who cheat during examinations or pay lecturers to obtain in advance examination question papers before examination day so to pass the exams. Children who hitherto were community assets and protected by members of society are presently subjected to all manner of abuses and targeted as objects of trade. Those who establish baby factories to manufacture babies for sale, the armed robbers, the kidnappers, the suicide bombers, and Boko Haram sponsors are all manifestations of collapsed family system. Indeed, the Rot is very deep.

Examples of pervasive Rot in our society are numerous. In our markets, traders cheat unsuspecting members of the public by for example, hiding rotten tomatoes at the base of baskets while scattering large and healthy looking tomatoes on top to give a false impression of the entire content of the basket in order to extract maximum amount of money. The practice is same for food items such as yams, potatoes and so on. What about those engaged in the production and sale of fake drugs, counterfeit currency or collude to convert our beautiful country into a dumping ground for substandard goods, hazardous electronic waste or import sand as fertilizer and water as petroleum products and are paid subsidy.

The traditional institutions that harbour our rich cultural values have not been spared the rot. In times past, traditional rulers were seen custodians of our rich cultural values, an embodiment of truth and justice. They shielded their communities from imminent danger. Regrettably, in present day Nigeria, some traditional rulers are known to harbour armed robbers and participate in the sharing of loot snatched at gun point and through the spilling of the innocent blood of citizens. Similarly, faith, community based and civil society organisations, labour unions, students and professional bodies house elements that engage in corrupt practices. The Rot is very deep indeed.

As Nigerians, therefore, it is our collective responsibility to join hands with President Buhari’s Administration to bring about positive CHANGE in our fatherland. We cannot stand aloof and criticise the government of inaction or inability to deploy the “magic wand” to effect positive CHANGE in Nigeria. All Nigerians need to stand up to be counted as CHANGE Agents by doing the RIGHT THING. So that TOGETHER we shall bring positive CHANGE in our country.

Nigerians Take a Stand Now

The political campaigns in Nigeria have brought to the limelight serious challenges facing our country. It is unbelievable that the political campaigns are loaded with hate messages aimed at causing disaffection among Nigerians. Religion, ethnicity, cultural differences have been exploited to the most ridiculous level that one wonders whether the damage being done to our nation will ever be reversed after the elections have come and gone. It is painful to know that politicians have taken Nigerians for granted over the years. They have exploited, divided and ruled us for their selfish interests. They have no interest in ensuring good governance and development of Nigeria. Indeed, they lack the capacity to conduct issue-based campaigns; hence the resort to religion and ethnicity as a platform for securing cheap support. This has been the trend since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

The Cabal that is fighting for the soul of Nigeria has no integrity, morality and credibility. Campaigns using derogatory and despicable language, which is strange to all known Nigerian cultural values have taken the center stage. Which Nigerian cultural norm promotes death wish for a political opponent or derision over the deaths of family members.

The PDP campaign groups are so desperate to have its candidate returned to Aso Villa and are ready to do anything. just anything in the name of supporting the incumbent President. They have for example; widely circulated a medical report on the health status of General Muhammadu Buhari purported to have been obtained from the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. The hospital has since disassociated itself from the report and further stated that the so-called doctors who appended their signatures to the report are not on their payroll.

Recently, African Independent Television (AIT) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) transmitted a documentary full of inaccuracies with the sole aim of destroying the APC Presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari. Even though the National Broadcasting Code for elections provides to the contrary:

4.2.2 Broadcaster shall:

(a) Not broadcast a programme which violates social value, shows disrespect for law and order departs from an honourable life-style;

(g) avoid the use of foul and blasphemous language;

5.1.6 Archival or library materials where used to illustrate a current event, shall be used with discretion and clearly identified to avoid confusion or causing emotional pain, offence, embarrassment or defamation.

5.2.5 Political broadcast shall be in decent language.

5.2.7 A broadcaster shall, in using a political material for news, avoid taking inflammatory and divisive matter in its provocative form;

5.3.6 A live broadcast shall take cognisance of the cultural and religious sensibilities of all Nigerians and avoid offensive inputs.

The question that begs for an answer is whether the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (APN) have lived up to expectation by sanctioning stations that have been violating  the broadcasting code with impunity. As rightly observed by the Veteran broadcaster Dr. Tom Adaba that” We cannot seat back, arms folded, looking the other way and pretending all is well. Let the truth be told, we have simply behaved as if there is no tomorrow for Nigeria. The campaigns or advertisement of mudslinging and derision, which we have allowed to appear on the screens, have not been helpful to the course of this nation. It has indeed helped to divide us as a people. If we preach hate we shall reap hate and destruction, if we preach love and peace well shall reap same” (Sunday Trust 21^nd February, 2015 P.36)

During the Presidential media chart held at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday 11^th February 2015 President Jonathan referred “… to the attempt to pelt the Presidential convoy by young, ignorant people, as treasonable offence….” Although  the action is condemnable, it was most revealing  when asked as to whether he was not worried by the threat of war by his kinsmen if he is not re-elected. President Jonathan simply responded that his government will make sure that things are done “in such a way that nobody goes to war. We will not encourage anybody to destroy this country. We must protect this country and those who support us must not destroy this country.”   The threat of war by his kinsmen to destroy Nigeria is indeed a treasonable offence, even though President Jonathan refused to condemn Asari Dokubo and co-travellers as he did in the case of the “young, ignorant people” in Katsina State. (Daily Trust 12^th February, 2015 P.5).

Dame Patience Jonathan in a recent outburst  in Calabar during a political campaign told Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters “Anybody That Tells You Change, Stone That Person!”

Nigerians Take a Stand Now to Save Our Country from Destruction.