Is Nigeria now truly a jungle?

No contemporary national heroes, no national values. The Nigerian state has not been fair to its citizens so the citizens do not feel obligated to the state. So at the slightest opportunity, the citizens undermine the state by cutting corners in payment of taxes and other public utilities payments, vandalisation of public property, official corruption […]

No contemporary national heroes, no national values. The Nigerian state has not been fair to its citizens so the citizens do not feel obligated to the state.

So at the slightest opportunity, the citizens undermine the state by cutting corners in payment of taxes and other public utilities payments, vandalisation of public property, official corruption and graft in offices at all levels, compromised security personnel for material benefits and very loaded with a very corrupt clergy, traditional and community leadership.

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Corruption and graft are elevated to a national way of life and well celebrated and national awards bestowed on national looters.

Falling standards of education because of poorly trained, remunerated teachers producing uncommitted and ineffective graduates.

Education, like security, has collapsed.

We have poorly paid civil servants, despite the enormous wealth of the country.  The public servants help themselves to the maximum with the resources kept in their care.

Poorly trained and poorly remunerated members of the armed forces with their promotion not based on merit but on some extraneous and primordial consideration.

An armed forces with a low morale, poor equipment and  poor training and a dislocated “esprit de corps “.

Roguish and thieving politicians and community leaders are hailed and given high places at public functions and corrupt men determine the fate, the rate and pace of the nation’s development.

Decent men and women are taunted  for opting to keep  their integrity  and  refusing to join the filthy fray.

These  “everything goes “chaps are supposed to be the role models for the youths.

Everywhere in our society, merit has taken exit through the window while the front door is wide open admitting criminality, mediocrity, nepotism and all manners of vices.

Our African tradition destroyed, education destroyed, morality destroyed, religion destroyed, family values destroyed, community life destroyed, interfaith and interethnic harmony destroyed.

The worst form of bankruptcy, where recovery is almost impossible and its negative consequences grave and all permeating is MORAL BANKRUPTCY.

What do we expect with these infamous credentials?

A great country, a great society , a great economy,  a great youth, a great future?

We are now harvesting the fruits of the   jungle we have been creating    gradually and nurtured over the years and  we  now have  a full blown and     mature jungle with all the trappings of life in the jungle.

Dr PJ Deshi writes from Abuja