Nigerian political class has perfected the art of floating unbelievably ridiculous ideas, to test the docility of the populace; that is how we find ourselves with the novel idea of Anonymous Thieves.
Nigeria’s plight with public officials “magically” making massive sums of money disappear from public coffers to private accounts is world-renowned at this point. Individuals discharged and acquitted for allegations of corruption in Nigeria are found guilty and made to serve prison terms after forfeiting proceeds of such or even lesser crimes in other countries. Companies and corporations lose licenses and permits, while members of their management team are imprisoned by other countries for abetting financial impropriety while Nigerian court and government canonize them.
In light of all these, a government that rode into power on the premise of fighting corruption and bringing sanctity to public life would have its Minister of Information ever come out and mention that the government was considering allowing people who had stolen or misappropriated public funds into their pockets or personal bank accounts as the case may be, getaway without their actions being made public.
We should consider this along with the fact that someone was sent to jail for misleading law enforcement agencies in claiming that an ex-public office holder was in unlawful possession of a large sum of money. By this scenario, the “whistleblower” could be in jail while the person who had stolen the money could have moved the cash before the police get there, then come back to return the money to the government, and ride off into the sunset a hero, while his accuser rots in jail.
That is the reality of the Nigeria we live in right now. All of these is going on in the midst of a Broadcast Regulatory body making ludicrous laws, a governor who owes over a year of wages announcing a public holiday to celebrate the return of the president to the country, and the president having to work from home cause his office is under renovation. By the way, the president was out of the country for 104 days and none of his “very smart” aides thought it wise to renovate the office in this period.
I remember reading somewhere about how democracy is about the best of us representing the rest of us. With the phrase “Anonymous Thieves and Anonymous Looting” flying around in my head, I can’t help but wonder what system of government Nigeria currently practices.
Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator and Creative Writer.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. @IJoswil
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