https://thavmedia.com/the-money-culture-in-our-society/

How the “money for hand back for ground” Nigerian parlance had so pervaded every fabric of our Nigeria Culture, is frightening.

“The money for hand back for ground” slangs depicts that, for any Service to be rendered by an individual to any other person(s) or organisation, money must exchange hands. Even if the service is one’s duty and responsibility for which he or she, has sworn an oath to uphold and in many instance, is being paid to offer.
Whether it is the civil servant doing his/her legitimate job of offering service, or it is the Policeman securing lives and property, or a Teacher/Lecturer mandated to impart knowledge and breed intellectuals for the society, or it is the Aviation worker at our Airpots, almost everyone seems to demand money from people they are offering service to, even though they will be remunerated.

What happened to the virtue of selflessness, goodness, integrity, dignity and pride of adding value to someone’s life or to the nation at large.

What happened to the devotion and commitment to Nation building and development?
Why is our society not entrenched in the “all for one and one for all” ideology, that has seen nations rise from obscurity to becoming an economic hub in the world?

The money culture in our society is predicated on greed and frivolity that has eroded contentment and simplicity in our communal living.

Respect and Recognition in the society accorded to only persons of great wealth as against, to persons across all social strata, who has contributed selflessly and immensely to nation building, has promoted the money culture in our society.

Recently in the Nigeria Political sphere, we see the decadence of the money culture displayed at the Primaries of Political Parties being held across the Federation. Accusations and counter accusations of money being shared to delegates to curry their votes is gaining ground in the News space.

Rumour has it that, one of the reasons former Governor Peter Obi, withdrew from the Presidential race of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is because of his disgust for the demands of delegates for money for their votes.
Some media reports has it that, Peter Obi has said there is no wisdom in sharing his hard earned money to people, simply because he wants to offer his services in contributing to Nation building.

Also, the veteran Social Critic and Human Rights activists, Senator Shehu Sani, had decried the political ritual of paying money to be elected. According to him,”It is inconsistent with my ideological and moral beliefs”.

He had said he would not give money to any delegate and when the Kaduna State PDP held its Primaries yesterday(26th May, 2022) he got two votes. Yet according to him, over three hundred delegates called claiming they voted for him.

What is the difference between kidnappers who collects ransom money for the lives of their victims and delegates who collects money for votes?

Will there be a nation where citizen’s can live or be governed in years to come, if we continue in this “money for hand back for ground” culture in our society?

Isn’t it high time we collectively do away with this culture and build a sane society for generations yet unborn?

Money has wings, it flies. It is insatiable. Its satisfaction last only at its last accumulation.
Its value ends at the last breathe of its owner(that is if inflation does not devalue it while he/she is alive).

But legacies built on sound values, selflessness and vision, last for many generations. Our society must imbibe these culture to thrive.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuGooGQLpZo