It is a known fact that some powerful members of the ruling cabal rose from grass to grace, so to speak. Yet it appears, judging from their anti-people and anti-poor policies and programmes, that our leaders easily forgot what life was like when they were poor. Perhaps after escaping the devastating gravitational pull of poverty, Nigerian leaders have deleted completely from their memories the evils of poverty and the imperative of using their privileged positions to help the masses. In my opinion, members of the ruling elite are not acting wisely and responsibly, otherwise they ought to know that their primary duty is to work tirelessly to alleviate poverty first before anything else. Probably, there is a subconscious or sublimated psychology of poverty at work here, which makes rich people who had tasted poverty before to despise the poor. All the same, inasmuch as government is under obligation to cater for all members of the society irrespective of socio-economic status, I submit that the most important function of a democratic government is poverty alleviation, because majority of Nigerians are poor. I am not sure that our leaders are thinking in this direction. Nigerian leaders at all levels are Christians and Muslims. However, it is very doubtful whether they really understand the spiritual significance of the scriptural injunction to help the poor and the needy. Certainly, religious observances by Nigerians, especially the ruling elite, are a caricature, which creates a false impression of attunement to spirituality. There is a world of difference between religiosity and spirituality – the latter is a vastly superior state of consciousness characterised by burning desire for knowledge, humility, contentment, self-control, tolerance, peace of mind, and kindness. Therefore, I conclude with the following questions: if Nigerian politicians are genuinely spiritually cultivated, why are they so corrupt, materialistic, and indifferent to the sufferings of compatriots? Why are they desperate to win elections, and when they are in power employ all necessary means to cling to office? If Mr. President, governors, senators, Ministers, and so on actually intended to serve the people, why are they prospering while most of the people they are supposed to serve are perspiring due to relentless suffering? What is in political power that intoxicates Nigerian politicians? Must our politicians lose sound commonsense whenever they get into office? Hope somebody will help us out here with the answer.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 09:36:29 +0000
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