EDITORIAL: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

There seems to be something strange about dispensing with justice in Nigeria. A noticeable trend is the obvious disregard to summons and appearances before appropriate courts. As a result, a litany of unsolved cases now abounds and the nation is moving as if that is the accepted norm. Officials who perpetrate this craft are high profiled and conscious of this very hiatus and thereby set out to deliberately subvert their oath of office.

As a result, corruption cases are rife, outright stealing in recognizable places have been on and even those caught and brought before the law get reprieve. Mysteriously, only the lowly placed become victims of this hubris or get convicted. Whereas, suspected thieves who steal chicken get punished instantly, the “big fishes” are treated with kid gloves and granted generous terms of settlement. Not since the days of former President Obasanjo has this trend become more rampant.

As of the moment the manner in which those in high places flout the law is unethical. They refuse to appear before courts when summoned; when they eventually do, they feign ignorance; we are even seeing cases where a Judge would rule and the orders are boldly disputed! The arrogance displaced and the insolence is regrettable.  Disappointed Nigerians now sneer at any news of scandal outbreak, or arrest, because they know such will end up in the trash can. This is how bad the situation has degenerated. Add this to the disobedience to traffic laws, widespread argument with Policemen on the road, making of phone calls while driving; no area is spared: recruitment's which ordinarily is supposed to be on merit have been hijacked for select families; contract awards cornered and the result is despair. So, it is now possible for Pensioners to be deprived of their hard earned entitlements and even legitimate workers denied salaries for upwards of eight months! The only project carried out with precision and accuracy in Nigeria is campaigning for elections. Nothing works better. Nigerian leaders are usually at their best when they are talking about “delegates”, “ballot box” and how to deliver their constituency; after that blackout!