Ikakke Bassey|6 October 2015|3:37am
Corruption has been identified as Nigeria's major undoing. Many people refer to corruption basically as a people's problem. Like our former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, asserted, I want to reteirate that corruption is not only looting of funds. It first of all has to do with our mental habits which are inform by the kind of system we find ourselves.
Why do people kill to represent in Nigeria? I overhead a discussion by some agberos, that is, streets touts, beside our Local Government Council headquarters -one said; "I am the next counselor in my ward or someone dies…"; the other said, "I'm waiting for my turn because I've worked for that man for so long now, in fact during the last election don't you remember we were arrested and put to jail? Do you know what we did for him that tenure!". All of them had drank and smoked to stupor!
Then I thought to my self, "politics must be a game of the agberos in Nigeria!" I was discouraged and I lost confidence in the political system of our nation. Yet, there arose a thought right deep inside of me…ringing as a bell in my heart -let's form a system that independently defies the corrupt or eludes them.
The private sector seem to understand this one fact. For instance, the banks do not need to bother about who they employ or whether the staff at the counter will steal the money. Why? The institution is a system that forces even the corrupt to align themselves accordingly.
This is a lesson from our big brothers -America. Theirs is a system! That's why if a person cannot perform or misbehaves, he would personally, without being forced to, resign.
It's unfortunate we run a system which agberos can comfortably function despite ill performances. The National Assembly or federal and state executive council belongs to THINKERS, and it should be. Because when thinking men converge, solutions will emerge. But when agberos converge, fights and confusion is inevitable. This is the problem with Nigeria -The System! We need a new system!
When the system is in place, it will ultimately define our attitude.
A man at 55 should be thinking seriously about posterity, not immediate personal gratification. He should be thinking about legacy and blueprint, not money for food or drinks. At 55 a man is dominated with impacts and generational concerns. Let's rebirth Nigeria, let's grow up and mature. Where are the system building thinkers!?
Ikakke Bassey
Is a Management Consultant
