Rivers State: Twenty years backward inside the inglorious two years

corruption, autocracy, totalitarianism and the people: by Rowland Orlu

We have been plunged into an age of beggarliness stricken by contemptuous corruption, autocratic and totalitarian rule of a public office holder, supposedly of high profile. Sadly the people suffer the bulk of this rascality and unresponsive imposition of an adversely over ambitious individual.

Irrespective of party affiliation or social class. Those who merry over the economic and social predicaments of a people, are themselves guilty as the individual who spearheads the government affairs in the State.

 

For an individual who came on the springboard of a Democratic process(Judiciary), ought to think public. If a public servant does not think of the public first, then he is like a fish in the water and must close it’s mouth in the water. If you empower a greedy cow with a grassy environment, it exhibits and establishes a one cow kingdom. However, the cow should remember that the grassy environment does not belong to him.

 

Corruption in Rivers State has imposed a petrifying level, that even religious leaders are conscripted into it’s absurdity. There seems no shortage attempts to rationalize corruption and autocratic government in Rivera State. And l assure you that, there is no way we can eradicate autocracy and totalitarian system of present government without changing the people’s mindset and the public number one servant’s behavior. Rivers people must realise that, those engaged in one man government belong to a different realm of the society and they must not be allowed to continue.

 

The culture in Rivers State orchestrated by the ruling party is, when a corrupt office holder is from a particular tribe, they say, yes we know him as corrupt and autocratic. But he is our leader. Rivers State must outgrow her present economic and political wimp rulership. For the singular fact that the corrupt and the one man ruler comes from a social class and the ruling party should not undermine the overall interest of the citizenry. The masses must therefore, crate an environment where, these poor administrators and corrupt public servants will not have a place of refuge in their ethnic or political covens. Corruption was deeply embedded into Rivers State blood stream within two years of the present administration. It has plunged the once flourishing State twenty years backward. If only the judiciary can live up to its constitutional obligations, these corrupt administrative misfits will not perceive oxygen to breath. So they can suffocate through their deliberate stronghold and wickedness.

 

Rivers people has to think in the direction and manner in which it is been demonstrated in different areas of the globe where true Democratic process takes precedent over autocracy. It is my candid wish that, the government at the center further strengthens anti-grift agencies recognized by law and cleanse the judiciary of men and women without integrity and sincerity to oath of service. We must abrogate the present legislative arm of Rivers State through individual electoral franchise to vote. We must put in place formidable team of legislators to checkmate the excesses of the governor through proper legislation. This will ensure that those who want to embark on unilateral actions that are detrimental to one section of the society are punished dispassionately and not the contrary as is the case presently in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

 

Spain has become the safe haven for Rivers State laundered monies. It is however, my delight that this country and other European countries have entered into repatriation treaties with President Buhari’s administration. No more shall some section of the society celebrate a thief and punish a man who stole a smart phone. It will come to a period when a looter and smart phone thief will be given equal treatment before the law. If a man spends billions of stolen money to get into an office where he is paid presumably three million naira per month, what does he see there that the innocent electorates can not see?. It must stop in 2019.

 

I wish Rivers State could take exception to corruption, autocracy and totalitarianism, rather than see it as a game of chase.

I obviously wish for a day when invitation to Chatham House will be by merit and not by inducement. I look forward to a time when our dear Rivers State will stand again against the economic States of giant Nations. I look forward to 2019 when it will all begin.

 

~Rowland Orlu wrote from Port Harcourt.