Taking from a personal example, I still believe that there was a time when strict merit reigned supreme in the administration of Nigeria’s resources and honors. If not, how could my late Father, Major SSA Agba rtd (MON), the son of an uneducated farmer and hunter, have become a recipient of the prestigious Member of the Order of Niger MON in the seventies, when he knew no highly placed person or had any valuable political connections?
“Old Major” as our older siblings used to call him, usually spoke gleefully about the prestige and early standards of the award. How it was strictly tied to verifiable public service, heavy industry impact, clear national sacrifice, and how the public revered the recipients who in turn, enjoyed deep societal respect because the lists were short and strictly vetted.
Today, the modus for the award of Nigeria’s Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) has shifted from strict merit to political patronage. Political influence now outweighs genuine service in the selection process; and this is a microcosm of a greater national atrophy. A stark reality that has dismembered and redefined the meaning of merit and sacrifice, in an era of a debased generation suffering a dearth of morals and decency.
A few examples will suffice. Now a convicted criminal still serving his jail time in the US, Abass Ramon aka Hush Puppy was many people’s role model even when millions of his followers knew he was a wire fraudster who was stealing from others every day to do give-aways online.
Debased characters like Blessing Okoro, aka Blessing CEO, notoriously known for stealing people’s properties and identities and even stealing someone’s cancer illness, and Bob Risky, are all role models to millions of Nigerian youths and even adults, because they are doing give-aways on social media. I have seen several places where people recommended them for national awards.
James Ibori stole his home State, Delta State, dry while he was Governor. A corrupt country back home couldn’t do anything to him but far away in the UK, he was convicted along with his wife and his lawyer. After successfully serving his jail term, he returned home to a hero’s welcome and has since been deciding who becomes what in Delta State and hobnobbing with the high and mighty everywhere around the country.
There are Nigerians who still adore and glorify the famous armed robber, late Lawrence Anini who killed and terrorized parts of this country for years; and their reason is that, he stole from the rich to spray bundles of cash on the roads for the poor to pick. Nigeria today, arguably has the highest number of manipulative, criminal, fraudulent and violent preachers, both in our churches and mosques, yet those places are swelling in numbers because their sermons attract their likes. There is nothing in the sermons pricking our conscience any longer. Consequently, crime is overtaking our doorsteps daily, inspite of the proliferation of these worship houses.
If Evans the kidnapper, Vampire the kidnapper, Onyeze, Reverend King, Abubakar Shekau, Bello Turji, Clifford Orji, are released from prison today and they rush to social media to do give-aways, millions of Nigerians, both young and old, will lay down their lives for them and tell the rest of us that they are not the only kidnappers and murderers in Nigeria and that they are good spirited people who deserve national awards. Afterall, LGAs in Zamfara State gave Turji awards that serving Police men accompanied him to go and receive even while he was on the Police wanted list.
If Ajudua, Ade Bendel and their ilk print posters today and join any political party to run for elections, hundreds of intellectuals and respected Nigerians will join their campaigns and tell us they are the only ones that can change Nigeria and they deserve our votes. Do you remember late Senator Nuhu Aliyu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), who in January 2008, while contributing to a debate in plenary on the war against corruption, stated on the floor of the Senate that the National Assembly was filled with “419ners?” He said that he possessed a list of legislators involved in advance-fee fraud whom he had previously investigated during his career as a senior police officer. More of them have found solace in the NASS since then.
Are you surprised that the total prize money today for the winner of the meaningless Big Brother Naija program is N160million Naira and enjoys one of the highest viewership in the country, while best graduating students from universities still go home with N100k? That is the recalibration of our values that I am emphasizing on. To win an election today, you don’t need a manifesto like in the days of yore. They will ask you, “na manifesto we go chop? You just need some bags of rice and condiments and cartons of beer. You will win the man with the manifesto.
Any moron who has gathered millions of ‘olodos’ on social media today is quickly referred to as hero of democracy that was fought for by patriots before they were born, but a Gani Fawehinmi, Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Tunji Braithwaite, Ayodele Akele, Omoyele Sowore, will run for elections, and those they fought for will reject them at the polls and vote for their chains.
That is not surprising, it should remind us all of the legendary story about Jesus and Barnabas in the Bible.
I don’t know if there is hope for this country. But I personally remain hopeful.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo, is a journalist , rights activist and writes in from Lagos State.
NB: Opinions expressed in this sponsored article are strictly attributable to the author, Agba Jalingo, and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch.
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