ON CONFUSION

ON CONFUSION

John McArthur, the internationally renowned evangelist, is quoted as observing that “It is confusing to watch people demand justice by violating the law.”

What is even more confusing is to watch the law perpetuate injustice.

And infinitely most perplexing is to watch the officers of the law flout legal procedures and violate human rights with impunity.

This is why SARS provoked such hostile reception from the Nigerian community that it was meant to serve.

It is most confusing to watch Nigerian politicians loot the funds meant for the entire nation.

It is confusing to see the police refuse to prosecute them.

And in the few instances when these thieves get probed or prosecuted, it is confounding to see no result as files disappear or the culprits faint in court, only to walk smiling to the bank.

It is infuriating to observe the press unable to report the truth about corrupt politicians.

But the father of all confusion is watching Nigerians express disgust when hungry people loot the warehouses where politicians hide the palliatives bought with their money or donated to them by philanthropists.

It confuses me that the best that Nigeria produces never get into positions of power, and the worst push themselves aggressively and violently to hold offices they are clearly unfit to handle.

And when these incompetent office holders realize that people might question them, it is confusing to see them establish dumb instruments of repression such as SARS.

Fela said, “Confusion na wetin o? Confusion na quench!”