It is sad to see a country like Nigeria, a once giant of Africa tottering under the weight of so much corruption. And the saddest part is that she seems helpless under this weight. How can we explain the fact that 276 young, helpless, unarmed school girls were abducted from their school 61 days ago and there is still no light at the end of the tunnel indicating that they will soon be released?

A cousin of mine was telling me the other day that things are so bad that if one tried to be good in the midst of all this corruption, one runs the risk of being killed. Even businesses, small and big are built with corruption at their base. For a simple supply of material to the government, the cost will be blown up so much out of proportion that the project for which the material is intended is either cancelled or postponed indefinitely. This is why our roads are in constant dis-repair; water does not flow, and electricity, a rare commodity. It is a popular knowledge that we Nigerians do not have a maintenance culture. We would rather let a commodity rot than repair it. New allows the contractors and everyone connected to the project to make more money. Repair can do the same thing for them but not as much as New can.

When people are there looking out only for themselves, how can they think of anyone else?
(To be continued)