EVERYTHING IS CORRUPT,IN ESSENCE NOTHING IS CORRUPT. BEING A PUBLIC LECTURE DELIVERED IN COMMEMORATION TO THE BIRTHDAY CEREMONY OF OREWA, AYODEJI ADESANYA aka AYOPETERS
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Corrupt in this part of life has become a popular lyrics to our daily music which seems to be like we are going to eradicate corruption to the zero level. "If corruption can be eradicated, I doubt the existence of man". Not that am in support of immortality or bad influence in any society, but to create balance, we cannot all be; the good guy, the bad guy, the nerdy, the dullard, lawyer, and many more of human phenomenon.
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According to one of Kanye West lyrics, he said 'we cannot make it without sin'. In essence to Kanye West lyrics, it means we are all sinners including the Pope in Rome, the richest pastor in the world, the world Imam, and all the sacrosanct figures. Not to judge anyone, we are all not corrupt and we are all corrupt. Like the saying "No one is holy" and the saying of 2baba - "You no holy pass my brother, you no holy pass my sister".
Before, I go on with my Storytelling or illustrations, let's look at the definition of the major word "CORRUPT". It has varieties of definition from from different sources and different people, but according to the dictionary at my reach, Corrupt is define as; In a depraved state, debased, perverted; Morally degenerated, week in morals, To change from good to bad, To draw away from the right path. That should be a very succinct definition for more explanation.
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According to the dictionary definitions mentioned earlier, how can one differentiate between what is good and what is bad in this world? When there are different views from all countries, ethnics, tribes, to a particular event, thing, or behavior. How can one say that for female to put on trouser is bad, according to Nigeria culture, while in Scotland the male putting on skirt is good.
Question 1: Is it that female putting on trouser in Nigeria is bad, that is corrupt? And is it that the male putting on skirt in Scotland to the Scottish is good, that is not corrupt? That is a micro analysis.
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In the system of government; where there is rule of laws, where there is constitution which always codify that 'no one is greater or above the law'.
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Question 2: Of recent, a senator whose name is Chukwuka Utazi said President Buhari's military action in the Gambia was without the the legislative arm of government approval and citing Section 5, subsection 4 of the Constitution to back this up and it states " (a) the President shall not declare a state of war between the federation and another country except with the sanction of a resolution of both the houses of the National Assembly sitting in a joint session; and (b) except with the prior approval of the Senate, no members of the Armed Forces of the federation shall be deployed on combat duty outside Nigeria". The question is, is Buhari wrong or right constitutionally? And in the USA, "the cradle of democracy" the bombing carried out in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen during Barack Obama's administration of 2007 to 2017 was with the consent of the USA congress.
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Question 3: The wailing of Govenor Fayose on the Buhari's administration that the administration is inflicting suffering and piver6on the Nigeria people, while in Ekiti state food and other commodities are costly in comparison to other southwest states to make simple comparism. Also, in Ekiti state, the government still owes it's workers salaries and allowances, while there is no account for the "bail out funds" gotten from the federal government of Buhari's administration and also the Governor plays stale politics to the Ekiti state people in order to be at the mercy of the masses whom especially are the poor, uneducated by eating and drinking at the road side,helping the fire service to extinguish fire break out. The question is, is Fayose morally right or wrong, is he corrupt or not? Is Buhari morally right or wrong?
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Question 4: The federal government of Nigeria banned the importation of more than 350 commodities without any surplus or up to measure domestic substitute, is the federal government morally right or wrong on its decision? Is the decision corrupt or not?
Almost 85% of the APC led government election campaign manifestos or promises has not been fulfilled and even some of the promises where denied aftermath (after getting to the office) and some were justisfied for not being feasible. The question is that, is APC morally right or wrong, corrupt or not?
Also, the ECOWAS court gave Buhari's administration the order to release the major frontier of Biafra republic in person of Nnamdi Kanu, but still he is in the custody of the Nigeria government. What's the moral justification? Is Buhari corrupt or not?
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Question 5: And lastly to use a micro analysis. My father does not give my mother money to purchase foodstuffs and yet my mother bought foodstuffs and she cooks and my father eats the food being cooked by my mother. To my mother, is she corrupt or not for providing the food? Because according to Nigeria culture, the father is responsible for providing food, clothing, shelters and the education of the children, but also my mother provides food, shelter, clothing and take care of the children education and yet my father still beat up my mother for what he calls being disrespectful. To my father, is he corrupt or not for eating the foods and beating up my mother? And on a moral measure, is he right or wrong?
My analysis, explanation, illustration was all the problems I envisioned or am envisioning. But to my perception, some of the problems may be wrong to some people and also right to some people and that is the reason I usually say "There is no sin, it's only the perspective of individuals, society be it codified or not in varying use and application".
The solution for Nigeria in particular is;
We should learn how to value and cherish our own thing, our own people, what our people are doing, encourage and support our own - The Hausas and Igbos has learnt this so far in 85% and 65% respectively, but the Yorubas are yet to learn with the grade of 15%. The issue is like a father neglecting his family most especially his children and embracing other people's children for they are well-to-do through the help, support and encouragement of their own father. In bigger view, it is just like Nigerians investing overseas, Nigeria government relying on developed countries like USA, UK, China and many more for the running of her government. This is a slap on the face from the old generation to the young generation.
The government officials should set their priorities right, because I can't say they are a nitwit since they know how to enrich themselves with the nation's wealth which "for me is not corruption, but a way of life in this side of life". Because one day the world will surely change whereby the greener pastures secured for their wards in the developed countries will be truncated and their wards and generation could be a vagabond, shameful people and wouldn't not be able to use the ready made names created by their dead father or parents. Is like the exact issue of Abacha's loots that the countries with the monies denying Nigeria government of accessing it.
Let the rich including the political officials invest everything or 85% of what they have in the country. That is, investment on man power, industrialization, technology and many more. Like in the lyrics of Rara by Tekno,he said "Invest in your country o, make it a better place". This will gradually stop the good heads from going out of the country (brain-drain) and also help to make the bad heads to be good Ones and work together to make the country a better place in conjunction or "separation like the prayer of Bishop Oyedepo and others".
Let merit and competence be the order of our businesses and governance and not favouritism, ethnicity or tribalism. To make a similarity of the democracy like the USA should not be a distorted issue whereby we can say "God bless our country" like the USA would say "God bless America".
Religion should be totally separated from politics but should be governed like what is being practiced in the USA, China, Russia. That is, any policy should be made for all human welfarism and safety and not religious centered policy.
Welfarism and proper education of everyone should be the basis of operation of the government and any private body.
Yet, on this lecture I am not 100% right and am not 100% wrong, so am I corrupt? Altruism is the answer, because we are all connected to one another in one way or the other no matter the difference be it distance, race, religion, family, behavior, name it.
The essence of this lecture is to appreciate and celebrate my friend on his immpecable birthday, because he is a very special person like everyone is also distinct in their ways. He made me understand the essence of having a friend, because I never wished to have a friend but I have him when I got admitted into the University.
I wish you Adesanya Ayodeji Peter long life and prosperity in joy and fulfillment. Joyous testimony every 22nd of January!
Written by;
Olusola Paul Olamide aka Pauliescolie
THE VIEW EXPRESSED ABOVE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VIEW OF NATIVE NIGERIA REPORTER'S. IT IS STRICTLY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR
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