When you see round pegs in square holes

In societies where Islamic principles define the private and public life of Muslims, positions of responsibilities are conventionally entrusted only to those who are evidently trustworthy. This was what obtained, for instance, for a whole century (1804-1903) under Shehu Usmanu Dan Fodio’s caliphate that traversed the entire northern region of Nigeria. It was a period […]

In societies where Islamic principles define the private and public life of Muslims, positions of responsibilities are conventionally entrusted only to those who are evidently trustworthy. This was what obtained, for instance, for a whole century (1804-1903) under Shehu Usmanu Dan Fodio’s caliphate that traversed the entire northern region of Nigeria. It was a period when only ‘square pegs’ were seen in ‘square holes.’ That’s what still obtains (even today) anywhere Allah’s injunctions as revealed in the Qur’an and expounded by the practice (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) reign supreme. 

The story of where we are today as a morally-decadent, politically-degenerated, and economically broken-down nation is so sad to be recounted. Like a curable disease that was left to become terminal, our national deterioration started gradually with no serious attention paid by those with a mandate to nip it in the bud including the family structure, the judiciary, lawmakers, and the executives as policy-makers. Almost everyone copiously tolerated and looked the other way when today’s aberrations were in their incubation stages. The profile of our national indiscipline scandalously developed, and over time, progressively launched the country into its present theatre of predicaments. 

While some developing nations including Brazil and Malaysia used the last three to four decades to move away from under-development and economic ruins, the Nigerian state rather engaged itself (through bad leadership styles) in a nationalized reverse gear, and used the past four decades to regressively move the country in nearly all aspects of life into deep socio-economic, cultural and moral deteriorations; turning Nigeria into a place where anything goes. With everything put together, Nigerians have now reached the stage similar to one typically described by native Hausa speakers as that of ‘La Haula Wa La Quwata ila Bi-llah.’

While it’s rare in contemporary Nigeria to find virtuous people in virtuous positions (as square pegs in square holes), it is only common to find dishonest people in virtuous positions (as round pegs in square holes). Amazingly though, many Nigerians do not see anything wrong in this misfit; probably because they gain from such abnormalities. One wonders these days whether background checks are carried out on persons nominated or recommended for public offices before they are eventually appointed. Even in cases where checks were carried out, one is left to wonder how persons with dubious antecedents or questionable characters are cleared to occupy sensitive public offices. 

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The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “When you see virtuous positions being occupied by dishonest persons, it is a sign that the Hour (Day of Judgement) is here.” For us in Nigeria, this prophecy seems to have been substantially fulfilled. Our national narrative today is that of having wrong people in the right positions. No matter how strong the institutions that are symbolic of the ‘right positions’ may seem, Nigeria would not go beyond dreams as long as undeserving persons find their ways to take charge of institutions built by the altruistic sacrifices of the nation’s foremost leaders.

It is common in modern Nigeria, for instance, to find a criminal recruited in to the police force where only responsible persons should serve. At a recent public discourse on “Ethics, Morality and the Law” organised in Lagos by the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun decried how some judges are not only giving them a bad name but also tarnishing the image of the judiciary through conflicting and embarrassing court judgements. 

Similarly, people who have no business teaching in the classroom at any level of the school system became lecturers and even rose to become ‘professors.’ Unlike the glorious past when it was about who the cap fits, the system today is about who knows the powers that be; and sometimes too, who best can bend the rules for the selfish gains of a select interest group. Besides eating away our values, standards have also been terribly lowered in virtually everything. All this thrive because of too many ‘round pegs in square holes.’

The frequent public call for prospective appointees to be subjected to drug and psychiatric tests is repeatedly justified by the incompetence, corrupt practices, or public embarrassment displayed by some ‘round pegs in square holes.’ Wherever we find these mistaken appointees,’ the least we could do, as advised by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), is to abhor the situation especially if (the words of) our tongues and (the writings of) our hands failed to avert processes that led to such ‘round pegs in square holes.’

If the hour is already by the corner as the scenario of ‘round pegs in square holes’ overwhelmingly suggests, what is required of us is to engage in much Istigfar (seeking forgiveness) of our sins from Allah. Let us pray for the present and for the future of Nigeria. Instead of cursing persons in leadership positions, it would be for our common good to seek Allah’s intervention because Allah’s wrath, when it comes, does not isolate righteous people from the sinful and the wicked. While we pray for Allah’s mercy in our present circumstances, let us strive in all sincerity to change the narrative of ‘round pegs in square holes’ to ‘square pegs in square holes’ before the Hour finally arrives. May Allah guide aright the country’s leaders at all levels, amin.