Thomas Abi Jr|9 November 2015|5:50am
Corruption and poverty work hand in hand. And the root cause of poverty in Nigeria today, is corruption. Everywhere you go to in Nigeria you see poverty written on the faces of Nigerians. People keep complaining and are experiencing a life of sadness and frustration in a nation as blessed like Nigeria.
What I keep asking myself is, how is Nigeria the giant of Africa when her citizens can not boast of a meal? Sometime we boasted to have the biggest economy in Africa, of what significance is the economic status of Nigeria when her people can not feed and afford the basic necessity of life? I say that is 'banza' and a total hogwash. Lies and mere farrago of words. The only thing I see in Nigeria is greed, disunity, dishonesty, corruption, and lack of patriotism. That is the only thing I see in Nigeria. A country were a man can afford to live flamboyantly and his next door neighbour is in hunger and penury. Where a man can flaunt his ill gotten wealth in the midst of poverty stricken citizens . Oh my Nigeria! Where did we go wrong?
It is only in Nigeria that a man who wore rags can drive an SUV within months and weeks in a political office. Corruption runs in our DNA, all we think is stealing, looting, amassing, siphoning and robbing our poor masses. Yet our people do not have a place to sleep, our people are visibly seen sleeping on the roadside, eating from garbage, begging for alms along the road. And we have so much to buy houses we do not need, drive in choice cars, acquire 500 pairs of shoes when our people are hungry and suffering. No wonder, citizens keep bugging their leaders for money. My friend, you know why your people keep bugging you for money? It is because of corruption, it is because you are part of the corrupt persons that have ruined this great country. You are part of those who have taken from the people without giving back. You steal and loot without the fear of God. You rob with your pen, and kill our people because of your selfish gain! Loot without a conscience. My brother, that same man you gave money, without empowering would rob you some day. He would harass you and embarrass you. Oh man's inhumanity to fellow man.
Martin Luther King Jr., said " somebody is saying stand, so I guess I'll have to stand." We must stand for our people, we must speak for our people. Our people need us, the less heard need us. Our people are living a life of frustration, a life of mockery of democracy.
Corruption today in Nigeria appears to be our way of life, it has brought so much hardship to our people. It is the root cause of poverty. How can a man be happy when he does not have the basic needs of life? The Nigerian people are not asking for so much, they are only saying give us what is rightly ours. Leaders act without the fear of God. Many do not see life after leaving office, my friend, your name was not written on the office as your birth right. Treat your people well, empower them, attract development, pay your workers, and live a life of honesty.
That small girl you give so much money, buy exotic car, rent a house for and change her wardrobe, of what economic importance is she to you. See, let me tell you, if you empower a young man, you have armed yourself for the future. You can never be hungry. That is what our political leaders do not know. Why make your people look like beggars? Why treat your people with hate and contempt, wickedness and greed?
Poverty is caused by corruption, corruption has brought unemployment, poor health care, poor education, bad roads, leading to the untimely death of our fine country men and women. It has increased social vices, promoted illegalities, destroyed the hope of the common man.
What pains me the most, is that most persons who put our people in untold hardship are educated persons. Are you a man of conscience? Are a person of character? If you are! How many persons have you liberated from poverty? How many persons have you empowered? If you haven't , start empowering your people today.
Today, I feel pained on the level of poverty my people are experiencing. It is rather inhuman, to treat a fellow human without the fear of God. With hate and without love.
Martin Luther King Jr., said "I neither started the protest nor suggested it. I simply responded to the call of the people for a spokesman".
We must stand as a spokesman for our people. Our people need us to push the course for them. We must join the movement that would liberate our poor people from rogues and shenanigans. From day light arm robbers who are corrupt and are there to loot from our common patrimony. We must speak with one voice, and send these robbers a way. I speak without fear today, because I know the souls of our country men and women that have died as a result of corruption caused by our leaders are speaking for me.
Martin Luther King Jr., said "we are all seeking to do the right thing". Yes we are seeking to do the right thing but we have allowed greed, sheer wickedness and poverty of the mind to kill our consciences. My friend, speak for the poor, do the right thing, stand for social justice, liberate your people and do what is morally right.
Prince Thomas Abi Jr.
Is a Public Affairs Analyst/Social Commentator
