Everything is not about law, legality, jurisprudence, arguments, technicalities and all manner of proofs and legal jargons. Where is the place of honor, morals and dignity? Where is the place of our national pledge? Where is the place of the oath of office? What happens to the wordings of the oath taken by public office holders ? Mere empty words, recited for the fun of it without any allegiance and sense of commitment?
“I pledge to Nigeria, my country, to be faithful, loyal, and honest. To serve Nigeria with all my strength, to defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory. So, help me, God”
What happened to this pledge? Beautifully crafted? Just empty words that holds nothing, means nothing other than fulfilling formalities?
Where is the loyalty? The honour, the honesty and the faithfulness? Place side by side the conducts of our public office holders with the wordings of the pledge, would one be proud of their conducts? How incongruous, reciting the pledge with a stolen, falsified and shameful baggages that have caused ripples and disquieting moments in the public space. Isn’t such “TINUBCRACY”?
Nigeria recently has been in the news for reasons very controversial, shameful and abysmally unethical. The entire body of the largest nations in Africa stinks, the stains are terrible and the flies of indignation following her like a hollocust. In all these, as visible and irritable it seems, many are trying to legally prove if those flies are bees, producing honey for the nation or flies attracted by pleasant fragrance of the nation’ good odor. This is the kind of people we are, justifying the unjustifiable, using legal jargons to cover obvious satanic fireworks, paint it with fine colours and makes it a delight to behold.
Everything is not about law? Not about provable evidence, exbits, logic and syllogism. There is a higher dimension of law, the law of conscience. Sagacity may win a case, logic may give victory amidst dishonor, lies and guilt, but conscience will continue to bleed until truth is told, justice done and integrity enthroned for those whose conscience is still healthy.
Sadly we have lost it here. Our conscience bruised and deadened with lies, stealing, desperation and legal jargons.
Where is the place of honor and integrity in our political space? Where lies the influence of morals and ethical considerations in our politics? It gets me worried how everything is subjected to law, evidence and logic. Kill a man, grill him, cut him into pieces, serve him as dessert for your guest and go to court and prove it wasn’t a man but a cow that you killed. If you are able to prove it, you are innocent even when within you the process of the killing, the cry of the man for mercy and the griling of his body as suya are all very fresh in your mind.
Our National Pledge is on trial. The honor and glory, the faithfulness and loyalty that formed the bedrock of the pledge are on trial.
One can only be honorable though law discharges and aquits one , still one sticks to the conscience and do the right thing. This may sound very utopian!!
The trending forgery of certificate, impersonation and the legion of arguments to make them look right, moral and ethical blows my mind. It clearly shows how depraved we have gone on issues of integrity. Who cares about integrity? Who has it helped? Nothing is static except interest. Romance with a cobra today once it has eggs to give and look for a way to kill it if it stops giving out eggs. Does it have a lot to say about our value system? When what one condemned vigorously yesterday suddenly becomes same thing one tries to glorify today? What a “Festusous” way of life
I watched a certain TV show that is renowned and highly reputable in critically analysing issues dispassionately yesterday. It was so obvious that the fiery presenter stammered while analysing the certificate forgery. He tactically avoided the discoveries and glossed over them. I pitied him and could see his tied hands. That is the kind of society we find ourselves. Honor, integrity, morals, values etc will always be made an underdogs before selfish interest. What a “Babatidous” way of doing things
I am hopeful! that day will come, when men and women of integrity will hold the reins of public offices, living out their life both in private and public, manifesting the wordings of the national pledge, taking a bow of honor and integrity voluntarily when the pledge is breached.
I am hopeful! That day will come when truth will be said and upheld no matter whose ox is gored. When the “FESTUSES” of this world will know what integrity is , stick to it without the weird predilection of going back to their vomits.
“The refusal to take sides on the great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction”. (Bishop Fulton Sheen)
This is about time to be on the side of moral, values, integrity and decency. This charades can’t be allowed to happen. In a country replete with amazing brains with correct certifications, genuine track record of biometrics and paternality cannot be ruled by someone whose identity etc are shrouded with shame and embarrassment. Arise Nigerians! Arise Civil Society Organisations! The honor and integrity of Nigeria are at stake.
NIGERIA GO SURVIVE!! THIS ONSLAUGHT ON HER IMAGE IN THE GLOBAL SPACE, MUCH MORE STRONGER WE WILL PULL THROUGH IT.
JARLATH OPARA JARLATHUCHE@GMAIL.COM
