STRIKER: How Far, How Close To Failed Society?
Meet any Nigerian and ask him or her the question “are you a bad person?” and the answer will be a loud “No!” The other guys are usually the bad guys. Yet, society is on the brink of implosion from toxic corruption and insecurity that has become road block to progress. Rebuilding from a failed society is not impossible.
However, it is far better that all those who believe they are the good guys, and truly are, come together NOW to salvage Nigeria from becoming a failed society. How far away or how close we are to becoming one can be found out by honest people from the definition of a failed society given by the Great Russian writer Anton Chekhov, which we take liberty to here quote at length:
“In failed societies, there are a thousand fools for each wise mind and a thousand clumsy words to counter each good advice. The majority are always dumb, ill-informed, egoistic and constantly dominating the rational and intelligent ones. They love trivializing important issues to distract them from facing their reality. They love holding meeting upon meetings but ensuring that each meeting is turned to throwing banters and cracking jokes to prevent diligent scrutiny of issues. They are led by cliques, cabals and a few unserious individuals, while the majority are disenchanted, disgruntled and uninterested. They’re like a cult group where the gangsters are the majority.
They thrive on extorting from a few among them who have over-bloated egos and always seeking for public attention, without knowing they’re being used. It’s called a society of pacifiers and nonentities. Trivial matters are always at centre stage, and any attempt to make them face their real challenges are opposed and vehemently resisted. They’re constantly living in denial. An example of a failed society is where millions of people crowd themselves together every time, dancing and repeating meaningless songs and words to themselves, and turning that to a societal culture.
In failed societies, everyone have their own opinions, which are never articulated. It’s a society where constructive, sound, and workable ideas are constantly being suppressed for the mischievous cabal to keep being the dominant force. In failed societies, it’s favouritism and rewards for patronage that’s popular, while merit is sabotaged. Also, it’s characterized by injustices and praise singing. Such societies thrive on information hoarding and secret keeping as leadership accountability is regarded as a privilege and not a right. Open conversations are frowned at and regarded as an attack against leadership.
Demanding for leadership accountability is forbidden. Gang leaders love to quote laws in the society that’s actually lawless and governed through caucus decisions. The minority are always pretending to be the majority. Divide and rule, rumour mongering, emotional blackmail, are the readily tools for governance. Those with honest intentions for promoting the culture of common good are quickly labelled as saboteurs and isolated, so they don’t corrupt the dormant majority. Genuine contributors and solution providers are not known and no one gives them credit for their efforts. Failed societies lack the attitude of gratitude.
Since the crowd love pettiness and mundane things, they love those telling them it’s okay not to use their own brains to think for themselves, and prefer comedian that make them laugh with meaningless jokes, than the poet who is waking them up to reality and telling them the truth that temporarily hurts. Therefore, the caucus leadership called ’democracy’ is not an ideal leadership model for ignorant people and unenlightened societies, because the corrupt minority will keep deciding their fate.
The people must seek their own salvation and redemption from within themselves before yielding to leadership. In constructive leadership, one is not above the others; one is a member from within the body.”
Let us close with the admonition of Ayn Rand: “When you see that in order to produce, you need permission from men who produce nothing – When you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods (or services), but in favours – When you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you – When you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice – You may know that your society is doomed.”
Like Murtala Mohammed said, way back, “It is time to reflect, to rethink, and to act.”
The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.
