Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecc 8:11).KJV

It has become too usual for our papers to be flooded with stories of corruption allegations. It is now so common that it doesnot even command such attention as it used to in the early days of our democracy. We read of screaming headlines like “OBJ spent $16 Billion on power without anything thing to show for it” just for one to wake up another morning to hear that those who were saying such are not any better, if not worse, than those they are accusing. Recently was the embarrassing event of Lawan gate, a case in which a man loved almost through the country for being out spoken against corruption got himself caught in the corruption trap. This national posture towards corruption is not anyway too surprising. It is my believe that every human being has a corrupt tendency and will deal corruptly if not restrained. A man might not be abig time embezzler of public fund but a petty thief, an adulterer, a trouble maker, a liar, a greedy or proud individual. All these stream from selfishness, envy, pride and lust that is innate in us; and these tendencies will always thrive to find expression in our everyday living. Such a restrain can be a functional constitution and an effective legal system or a personal conviction about morality or of a higher power that one is answerable to.A higher power in this case being God. However, it is obvious that many worship God with their lips and their hearts far away. It is equally true that many Nigerians do not believe in God, hence we would not spend time talking about thefaith and religious views or convictions of our leaders.Nevertheless, the Word of is true and does not need our nod to be. Those are the words we will consider together.

Why do people commit crimes so readily? Because crime is not punished quickly enough.(Ecc 8:11) GNB

An average Nigerian Youth will boldly tell you he will also take his own part of the national cake when he has the opportunity. We have learnt from those who have gone ahead of us that the fastest and easiest way to become rich is to steal from the people. Building large mansions, driving the latest cars and living an extravagant lifestyle now defines success. This is so because our country has become a place where it seems there is no law to restrain leaders from milking the people dry. A country where the biggest thieves get the biggest cheer and it is extremely dangerous to be a small thief. Or what will we say of a country where an ex-governor who jumped bail abroad is now a senator making laws. In the year 2007, another ex-governor of a south-south state got a perpetual injunction not to be prosecuted for corruption. The EFCC has become a toothless bulldog. No thanks to the faulty foundation on which the agency was laid. For the first few years of the agency, the then government used the corruption war of the agency as a tool for power bargain. Our judicial sytem has become a mess of itself as judges and lawyers alike, have aided corrupt politicians and bureaucrats to escape the wrath of an already weak law, exhausting all available lacunas in the law to set the highest bidders free. Our law makers in turn have refused to make laws that will curb corruption, being afraid of not setting traps for themselves. And so are the cases of discipline in the civil service, nepotism, tribalism, terrorism and exam malpractices. The bigger the scale of the crime the easier the exit. As someone did comment on the social media “Kill one, get a sentence, kill ten, get a psychiatric examination and kill a hundred and get an amnesty”(paraphrase). The law is dead and truth has gone into hibernation.

Where there is no law, there is no sin (Rom 5:13) and in such a situation justice to one might end up to bean injustice to others. No wander we tend to consider those who have been convicted for stealing goats or some few thousands as victims instead of criminals, quickly putting aside the possibility of such individuals equally stealing as much if only they have access to the treasury. That is why Dr. Jonathan and his team will even dear to justify an hasty pardon for Alam. “Has he not suffered enough” they asked, as though we have not all being suffering from the result of corruption. However, taking a second look at the scale of corruption in the country and how these individual swagger around with impunity, one is tempted to think there is sense in the pardon granted. Would Jonathan not have seen his former “oga” to have suffered enough when those who have done worse than him are gallivanting about the country with “illegally legal” or party arranged immunity? After all he has even helped the country establish peace in the Niger Delta.

Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"—peoples will curse him and nations denounce him. (Pro 24:24)

Mr. President however,did have a choice. A choice either to see his “oga” as a victim or bring every other corrupt person to book, making them go through what his “oga” went through or even more. I also think we do have a choice too, to either continue considering small offenders or offenders from our tribes as victims or asking for justice for both great and small and from tribe to tribe.The Pardon granted Alam and the recent happenings in the country points to the fact this administration does not have the guts to fight corruption (Ps 49:20, Matt 7:3). We can only hope we will be proven otherwise. We are desperately and eagerly waiting to see our president, who has the biggest part of the blame,being the leader, rise and take an  obvious and firm stand against corruption. He himself must remember that “hope differed wearies the heart”. No common man( in it real sense) will think of a governor, a senator or ex-minister in jail and will not reconsider his hideous plan. Will he not ask himself “if this can happen to our governor what will happen to a “nobody” like me if i am caught?” We need a leader that is brave enough to fight the insanity in this land even if it will cost him his life. The response to Alam's pardon equally showed that we, as a people, are not ready, honest and united in our call for an end to corruption.

When evil people are in power, crime increases. But the righteous will live to see the downfall of such people. (Pro 29:16) NIV
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. (Pro 29:2) KJV

Nigeria has become a shame of herself and corruption has brought her much reproach from countries that should ordinarily be looking up to her for inspiration. As the bible rightly says, “righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Pro 14:34). What we need is a collective war against corruption and impunity to change this image. And that must start from our homes, to our workplaces, local government and up to the Federal government. We must consciously and objectively vote for men of character, competence and commitment. It is time we looked beyond sentiments and unrealistic manifesto cleverly crafted to win gullible minds. We must add actions to our words by voting and defending our vote throughout the tenure. I am not necessarily calling for a change from PDP to other prominent parties. These our politicians are the same anyway, and will not mind deflecting to whatever party, as long as they will get what they want. It has always being the case of a kettle calling the pot black or a murderer calling another an armed robber. I sense their cry against corruption is merely aimed at getting power and access to our crude oil money. They know how much we are yearning for a corrupt free Nigeria (even when we are really not doing as much) and will emotional manoeuver as many as possible to eat their bait. It is the Nigerian people that must compel politicians and leaders to make the kind of change desired, by asking for accountability transparency and performance from whatsoever party and individual. Credibility, competence and commitment of leaders from any party should be the yard stick for competition between political parties, not the kind of noise-making we are presently experiencing.
Many a times, we fail to chide, and snobs anybody that attempt to chide a leader who is doing poorly at upholding human right for example, just because he is thriving in infrastructural development. We must not in the name of encouraging our leaders allow mediocrity and sycophancy.Pastors, bishops and other men of God should do their best to disabuse the mind of their followers on these our newly found  idea of success; question followers source of money and preach diligence and true prosperity. We cannot claim we are against corruption, praying against it, as well as cursing those who are involved in it, when we indirectly encourage it by collecting donations from same. Many times churches or ministers at religious institutions deliberately avoid probing sources of donations. Never must it be heard again that corruptly acquired money is traced to the house of God. These they must do if they are truly men of God as they claim. Perhaps these will dissuade those who still have their conscience alive. Many lost there conscience long before now.

We have for too long encouraged impunity as a people and it is high time we made a change. For us to develop as other nations we must have peace and for us to have peace we must follow after righteousness. That is, doing what is morally and constitutionally right. And peace in this case is not the absence of conflict but the presence of justice and freedom. Nevertheless, all those who still have God at heart and follow after his own kind of righteousness and peace, must not stop seeking his divine benevolence if perhaps for our sake, he will bless our land. Selah 

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