Ever wondered what it would be like if we had leaders who were truly inspired pure altruistic motives? That in my opinion is the only panacea to the problem of corruption plaguing Nigeria today. Corruption is the love child of greed and wickedness and like a malignant cancer, it has eaten through the fabric of our morality and in time, has grown into the Kraken with an ubiquitous reach.
Corruption does not exist in a vacuum. It requires a willing host to enable it grow till its tentacles spread wide enough to leave a leprous touch to everything within distance. Sadly, Nigerians have been too willing to be hosts to this monster in a bid to benefit from it at all costs. It is in the heart of the public servant who meets the pre-existing order and is lulled by its materialistic trappings to makes him/her an obstacle to positive change. It is the hidden motivation behind the rants of the opposition masquerading as activists and agents of social change in the hope that the opportunity will someday be theirs to do as their predecessors have done. It has now become manifest in the shameless acquisition of ostentatious articles by those who profess to be the mouth piece of God. It is now the hope of the disillusioned youth to attain some form of relevance in a society that cares not for his plight . It has robbed the innocence from the new born. Corruption hangs in the air like a dense mass of smoke and has given all under it teary eyes.
Corruption will always exist as long as humans continue to live. The only way to get respite from its clamp-like grip is total re-orientation. In a nation where the gap between the rich and the poor is monumental and increasing on a daily, it will be nothing short of miraculous to achieve this feat. The fear of poverty fuels greed to ensure that wealth is maintained at all cost for the rich. On the other hand, the resentment resulting from the abuse of poverty will make the poor unwilling to any talk of moderation when the opportunity arises.
Sadly, poverty has come to stay in this world. It is the reason equality is forever to remain a myth. However, excruciating want is a lot less worse than mental poverty. Mental poverty is that state of mind that perpetually defies rationality. It has the teeming population of Nigeria by the balls; it is the outcome of years of abuse that has given rise to a dysfunctional thought process and manner of behaviour. We have learned over the years to worship money and the power it brings but it hasn't taken us far. It has bound us in strife and mediocrity.
There is yet hope if we are willing. It starts with you and I; in our own little spheres of influence. We must un-learn the money motivation and imbibe values of altruism. Zombie-like acquisition of wealth by all means necessary never gives the soul inner peace; only a genuine concern for the welfare of others can. Let us fight greed in ourselves and weaken the limbs of corruption.
Malcolm O. Ifi.
I am on twitter @saymalcolm
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