Senator Abbo: A Depressing Spectacle
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| SENATOR ABBO |
First, there is the inebriated representative of
the state (a senator no less), then a police officer, who is supposed to
protect the people and common citizens trying to make ends meet in their place
of business. The senator, hiding behind the royalty that the country's leaders
have become assaulted a nursing mother in full public view for daring to calm a
belligerent situation initiated by him. After shamelessly slapping the hapless
woman around, Abbo then ordered his police orderly to arrest her on the spot
for a crime that is still unclear. Maybe she forgot that mortals don't speak
when gods are throwing childish tantrums.
If you are reading this as a Nigerian, it is
evident that the value of your citizenship may depend on the whims of a state
official backed by force and not the constitution. The story of the
assault by senator Abbo clearly shows that our lawmakers are some of the most
lawless groups in the country. These political misfits are aided by policemen,
soldiers and the interpreters of the law to destroy what little rights the
constitution guarantees citizens. The clear reason why there is so much
banditry, robbery, kidnappings and sundry crimes in Nigeria is simply this: our
leaders do not care and law enforcement officers think only of survival, not
protecting the people. In fact, evidence suggests that crimes in the country
are aided and abetted by law enforcement while state officials turn blind or
drunken eyes. The state is silent or languid in combating crimes unless
it affects officials directly, or their expatriate business partners. Because
they are concerned about survival, law enforcement tends to protect and do the
biddings of the leaders at all costs as uniformed thugs and area boys
for simple bread. Protecting society does not bring in much so they extort the
people and sometimes kill or maim those who refuse.
When arresting ordinary citizens, especially if
carrying out orders from "above", the Nigerian police are at their worst
best because they know the victims are totally helpless. But when asked to do
the real job of policing the society to reduce crimes, complaints about
salaries and lack of weapons surface. The only weapon lacking in the arsenal of
law enforcement in Nigeria is integrity not surface-to-air missiles or military
grade assault rifles. With integrity and dedication to a just society, most
miscreants will look for other jobs rather than risk arrest and jail. But a
just society where our lawmakers are not gods is inimical to the ego of our
leaders at various levels of society. They need orderlies, guards, errand boys,
enforcers and sirens to survive and feel relevant in a royalist society such as
ours. Because of the utter disregard for the rights of common people in
Nigeria, it is easy to see why there are no good roads, dependable electricity
supply, well-funded primary education, healthcare and infrastructure or equal
right and justice before the law. Politicians are versed in the art of tokenism
to win elections and feeling good about themselves for providing what is a
right (not privilege) of the people.
What happened in that shop last week is a
microcosm of what the citizens of Nigeria endure everyday while trying to make
a living in a moribund country. But any hope of Nigeria's renaissance and
progress hinges on protecting people such as that nursing mother and making her
feel she can live and contribute without fear to a country currently ruled by
drunk lawmakers and pitifully subservient law enforcement officers.
jrotimibgood@gmail.com
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