No one seems to know exactly what is happening in Nigeria in terms of monumental abuse of public office, privileged positions, morality and integrity. Come to think of it, the grimmest discrimination yet seems to be going on—though unannounced—judging from the ceaseless lopsided political appointments; this, in turn, has emboldened those opportune to be in the corridors of power to capitalise on their official advantage to suppress those consigned as less privileged; it is this obvious “apartheid” in Nigeria that invariably carved out the brigades of Yahoo boys who must use their ingenuity to survive in a grim society like ours. Hence the Hushpuppies, the Momphas, the Invictus escapades we have witnessed so far; there are many more though.
But how does that rationalise the stupendous earth-shaking criminal wealth now linked to Ibrahim Magu— the prime crime buster and hunter of Yahoo boys? Where is the morality? Where is the integrity? Even now, another Northerner has been appointed to replace him. There lies the problem with this country! From Ibrahim to Muhammed; is there no reason? No lesson is ever learnt; the impulsive urge to show that we are “in power” always overrides all other common sense of reasoning. It is simply absurd’ yet they avoid discussion on anything restructuring or regionalising the country, yet they want the status quo where—under a presidential system of government— they have all the advantage. The Anti-Graft agency has been the accuser, the Judge; they arrogate to themselves the powers to arrest, prosecute and jail; not everyone wants to do yahoo, but when perennially denied of gainful employment and with hunger and starvation staring you in the face, they are left with no option than to delve into any enterprise provided it would solve their temporal hunger. Yahoo is not good business; but under the circumstance, it is the easy way to self-employment.
For example, how do you explain the situation where of the 1,800 people recruited into the anti-graft Institution in 2019, only 200 are said to come from other parts of the country? In another instance, 0f 2000 allegedly recruited at the CBN, only a few –less than 200—were said to be the lucky few from the other parts of the country! If that is deniable, what about the gale of lopsided political appointments championed from the highest level into official positions? Worse, it is now common for “touts” to charge huge sums of money—sometimes in dollars—for those wishing to see people in “high positions”—even if you have a genuine business!
That’s where we are today in this country. Cybercrime, kidnapping, banditry, they would all thrive in a society full of injustice. How do you explain a situation where employment is done in secret with the national Assembly unable to effect any change—except to bark and shout? Ibrahim Magu thrived because he was left in the office for five solid years without confirmation; why would he not criminalise the position? That he was shielded for that long is by itself criminal neglect of the constitution of Nigeria. Going further, a former czar of the EFCC who went AWOL is now a serving DIG of the Police; the same is of the Pension director indicted for fraud but secretly “smuggled” back into the mainstream as director before he was caught! Negligence, tolerance, ignorance and absolute dereliction of duty!
That’s what is happening; there is a dearth of morality and character—the same that drove the Hushpuppies, Obinna Okeke and Mompha into crime business; the same that propelled Magu to live above board. While the one uses ingenuity to steal, the other applies his “official” position to rob the nation blind—and to cheat in lopsided appointments.
