Since the commencement of the Fourth Republic, I have observed premature closure of unsolved cases of corruption, mass murder and other vices that keep occurring in Nigeria. In as much as these phenomena are neither new nor peculiar to Nigeria, they are known to thrive unabated. Impunity has secured a cosy and spacious room in the corridors of power; it is, more or less, part of our modern culture. My deepest fear is that; I hope we are not graduating into a state of total anarchy, because if we are, then we are probably fulfilling aspirations of saboteurs who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable – God forbid that, but if we keeping sweeping or allowing dirt to be swept under the carpet, then this will be our sad but imminent fate.

Since the commencement of the Fourth Republic, I have observed premature closure of unsolved cases of corruption, mass murder and other vices that keep occurring in Nigeria. In as much as these phenomena are neither new nor peculiar to Nigeria, they are known to thrive unabated. Impunity has secured a cosy and spacious room in the corridors of power; it is, more or less, part of our modern culture. My deepest fear is that; I hope we are not graduating into a state of total anarchy, because if we are, then we are probably fulfilling aspirations of saboteurs who promised to make Nigeria ungovernable – God forbid that, but if we keeping sweeping or allowing dirt to be swept under the carpet, then this will be our sad but imminent fate.

Today the murderer of Chief Bola Ige is likely having a good time, maybe in a luxury hotel or some Caribbean beach, and many other culprits of various offences too. In my opinion, a larger chunk of opportunists, corrupt and depraved people made hay and are still making hay in the present government. To these people, Nigerian courtrooms are just like their bathrooms where they enter and come out cleaner than they went in; the committees of inquiries set for them are nothing but mere entertainment. Then what happens to the masses? They sit, watch, lament and, as usual, hand the matter up to God. Each time an atrocious offence is committed against the people or the Government of Nigeria, I guess with near precision that the wrath of the law would not reach the perpetrators, and with Goodluck at the helm, I don’t get disappointed with my prediction. I continue to ask: What happened to Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and others who were mentioned by reliable sources as Patrons of Boko Haram? What happened to Femi Otedola after the investigation on fuel subsidy scam? What about (dis-) Hon. Faruk Lawan, has he suffered his punishment already? What about the big guys involved in the pension scam and that one that vaulted N2 billion in cash at his home? The Chief who raped an NYSC corps member and got away with it? Then Alameseigha and Almustapha; why were they suddenly pardoned and freed without clear reason? Space would not allow me to capture the numerous names but these and many more are the crop of people enjoying the benefits of the government’s laxity and culture of impunity.

Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Uduah should be the latest arrival in financial scandal, purchasing two cars at the mammoth sum of N255 million – more than the sum which its disappearance caused a five months strike in tertiary institution – while planes keep plummeting from Nigerian airspace like comets. Her crime was not that she misappropriated taxpayers’ money to acquire the cars, her crime was that she allowed the media to get a whiff of the likely common practice of Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet members. The worst she got was committees sitting at different levels to carry out the same job with similar recommendations which will not be implemented and then you will find her name among the archives of dirt swept under the rug. I wonder why 24 hours was not enough to have her fired that committee members are still dilly-dallying with her case. Diezani Allison Madueke is also an extravagant minister who has constantly enjoyed the benevolence of the ever-compromising president even when protests were made in January 2012 calling for her head. These ladies and others are justified not only because Goodluck is quick to pardon even Boko Haram members but also because he has laid a strong precedence.

The big question that rings in my head every morning when I wake up is; should Nigerians still vote for Goodluck Jonathan and even PDP come 2015? We must consider how many Allisons, Uduahs, Otedolas, Sherifs , lawans and other bandits that have yet to escape from his innoxious claws.

by Bizum Yadok

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When we keep sweeping dirt under the carpet by Bizum Yadok