CORRUPTION: THE IMPACT OR ROLE OF THE UNIT

CORRUPTION: THE IMPACT OR ROLE OF THE UNIT
I live in a country where the term corruption could easily be mistaken for an individual or a group’s name. Every single person from old to young just blames Mr. or Mrs. Corruption for every form of irregularity within the system in the geographical location called Nigeria where I reside. Over time I have come to get used to the term corruption being used everywhere from bus parks to schools, from corporate organizations to government agencies and even religious organizations, you would almost begin to wonder if this corruption is a ghost or spirit being, since no one seems to take the responsibility of being called corrupt or better still corruption. Little wonder we are still where we are.
However am not in the habit of just problem analysis (which is important to proffering solution) as the average Nigerian is a master of such an art, rather in the face of problems I try to think of sustainable and pragmatic solutions which are often mistaken for an idealistic thought pattern, well it’s just my own thought and opinion. If we all start proffering solutions and stop arguing we would move forward.
It’s no longer news that the activity or actions of the unit affects the collective, so it is safe to say that the accumulation of all our individual actions is the picture we see in our communities, societies and by default our nation today. It’s quite easy and convenient to blame Mr. A or Mr. B or the government for whatever state you find yourselve, it seems logical and easy right? How nice. Now before I proceed, it’s important we find out how corruption is defined. Well before the word became synonymous with just Government officials, the word was originally translated to mean “extremely immoral or depraved”. With this definition in mind, do you see how you are implicated in our present state as a nation? Let me elucidate more explicitly;
Each time you throw things out of your car or home improperly; your corrupt.
Each time you beat the traffic light; you’re corrupt.
Each time you sponsor exam malpractice for your kids, niece, nephew etc.; you’re corrupt.
Each time you refuse to pay your bills e.g PHCN, Waste Bills, etc ;your corrupt
Whenever you refuse to vote; you indirectly contribute to corruption in governance.
When you take bribe; you’re corrupt.
When you allow your kids get away with little acts of mischief without rebuke; you’re helping raise a new generation of corrupt individuals.
The list is indefinite…
You see our problem is that we think corruption is only when you give bribe or steal money, forgetting that before that man started stealing money he or she had at one point stolen meat from the pot, or taken daddy’s money or just been plain exposed to high level mischief in the family of environment without ever been rebuked or corrected. How do we then expect a different picture than we see daily? There can be no change nationally or in governance until a majority of us take responsibility as individuals to deliberately become positively transformed. We must understand that systems are run by people; the best of systems in the hand of a fool is a foolish system.
If we all knew that at some point in our history that a young boy without shoes in Otuoke in Bayelsa state will become our president would we have spent some more time preparing him and his peers and ensuring that the right environment is put in place to properly expose him?!! The list just goes on and on. My dear friends my point is simply this; take responsibility of your actions, you just do what is right and preach the same message, we would be shocked at the visible change we would see within a short frame of time. Change is very predictable, especially with the right actions in place. Ofcourse the system is terribly gone wrong, but I don’t see how complaining, nagging, backbiting or just doing nothing would contribute to the balance we seek in our society.
Well I hope I made some sence today, guys our future is in our hands. Let the change begin with me and you and things would naturally fall into place, this is my humble submission.
Hi pals please leave your comment or contribution, I am eager to hear from you.
Please follow @okolieken on twitter. Love you.

CORRUPTION: THE IMPACT OR ROLE OF THE UNIT

I live in a country where the term corruption could easily be mistaken for an individual or a group’s name. Every single person from old to young just blames Mr. or Mrs. Corruption for every form of irregularity within the system in the geographical location called Nigeria where I reside. Over time I have come to get used to the term corruption being used everywhere from bus parks to schools, from corporate organizations to government agencies and even religious organizations, you would almost begin to wonder if this corruption is a ghost or spirit being, since no one seems to take the responsibility of being called corrupt or better still corruption. Little wonder we are still where we are.
However am not in the habit of just problem analysis (which is important to proffering solution) as the average Nigerian is a master of such an art, rather in the face of problems I try to think of sustainable and pragmatic solutions which are often mistaken for an idealistic thought pattern, well it’s just my own thought and opinion. If we all start proffering solutions and stop arguing we would move forward.
It’s no longer news that the activity or actions of the unit affects the collective, so it is safe to say that the accumulation of all our individual actions is the picture we see in our communities, societies and by default our nation today. It’s quite easy and convenient to blame Mr. A or Mr. B or the government for whatever state you find yourselve, it seems logical and easy right? How nice. Now before I proceed, it’s important we find out how corruption is defined. Well before the word became synonymous with just Government officials, the word was originally translated to mean “extremely immoral or depraved”. With this definition in mind, do you see how you are implicated in our present state as a nation? Let me elucidate more explicitly;
Each time you throw things out of your car or home improperly; your corrupt.
Each time you beat the traffic light; you’re corrupt.
Each time you sponsor exam malpractice for your kids, niece, nephew etc.; you’re corrupt.
Each time you refuse to pay your bills e.g PHCN, Waste Bills, etc ;your corrupt
Whenever you refuse to vote; you indirectly contribute to corruption in governance.
When you take bribe; you’re corrupt.
When you allow your kids get away with little acts of mischief without rebuke; you’re helping raise a new generation of corrupt individuals.
The list is indefinite…
You see our problem is that we think corruption is only when you give bribe or steal money, forgetting that before that man started stealing money he or she had at one point stolen meat from the pot, or taken daddy’s money or just been plain exposed to high level mischief in the family of environment without ever been rebuked or corrected. How do we then expect a different picture than we see daily? There can be no change nationally or in governance until a majority of us take responsibility as individuals to deliberately become positively transformed. We must understand that systems are run by people; the best of systems in the hand of a fool is a foolish system.
If we all knew that at some point in our history that a young boy without shoes in Otuoke in Bayelsa state will become our president would we have spent some more time preparing him and his peers and ensuring that the right environment is put in place to properly expose him?!! The list just goes on and on. My dear friends my point is simply this; take responsibility of your actions, you just do what is right and preach the same message, we would be shocked at the visible change we would see within a short frame of time. Change is very predictable, especially with the right actions in place. Ofcourse the system is terribly gone wrong, but I don’t see how complaining, nagging, backbiting or just doing nothing would contribute to the balance we seek in our society.
Well I hope I made some sence today, guys our future is in our hands. Let the change begin with me and you and things would naturally fall into place, this is my humble submission.
Hi pals please leave your comment or contribution, I am eager to hear from you.
Please follow @okolieken on twitter. Love you.

Beyond Me

BEYOND ME
Is it possible your individual actions have more far reaching effects on others than just you? If your answer to that question happens to be a yes then you’re welcome to this week’s discuss on #TheCatalyst tagged Beyond Me.
Am a firm believer in the saying that the actions of the unit affects the collective. The effect of our individual actions when pulled together is the picture we see daily in our family, societies and nation. This understanding has acted as a thermostat for my actions and decision-making, because I aim to contribute positive values in my society. Examples abound on how your singular action can result in a colossal destructive or constructive end.
A singular decision to drink and drive makes you a hazard not just to yourself but to other road users, now imagine if 30% of road users drink and drive on a particular day.
A singular decision to be dishonest in business transactions over time by several independent individuals can spell doom for anyone that belongs to that same race, tribe or religion.
A singular independent decision by several adults to lie before their young wards could breed a society where honesty is as water in the Sahara.
In a bid to keep this discuss as simple as possible I hope my point has not been lost. It’s important that each and every one of us understand that we contribute to the decadence or decency in society. I believe that if we can grasp the wisdom in this days issue and brood over it and seek ways to apply it, then we can truly say change is on the way.
I am a firm believer in the positive transformation of our country but not without the commitment of each citizen to personal transformation. Let the change begin with you; understand that our singular actions when pulled together has a greater far reaching effect than we could ever imagine.
God bless you as you begin the beyond me campaign.

Beyond Me

BEYOND ME
Is it possible your individual actions have more far reaching effects on others than just you? If your answer to that question happens to be a yes then you’re welcome to this week’s discuss on #TheCatalyst tagged Beyond Me.
Am a firm believer in the saying that the actions of the unit affects the collective. The effect of our individual actions when pulled together is the picture we see daily in our family, societies and nation. This understanding has acted as a thermostat for my actions and decision-making, because I aim to contribute positive values in my society. Examples abound on how your singular action can result in a colossal destructive or constructive end.
A singular decision to drink and drive makes you a hazard not just to yourself but to other road users, now imagine if 30% of road users drink and drive on a particular day.
A singular decision to be dishonest in business transactions over time by several independent individuals can spell doom for anyone that belongs to that same race, tribe or religion.
A singular independent decision by several adults to lie before their young wards could breed a society where honesty is as water in the Sahara.
In a bid to keep this discuss as simple as possible I hope my point has not been lost. It’s important that each and every one of us understand that we contribute to the decadence or decency in society. I believe that if we can grasp the wisdom in this days issue and brood over it and seek ways to apply it, then we can truly say change is on the way.
I am a firm believer in the positive transformation of our country but not without the commitment of each citizen to personal transformation. Let the change begin with you; understand that our singular actions when pulled together has a greater far reaching effect than we could ever imagine.
God bless you as you begin the beyond me campaign.

Beyond Me

BEYOND ME
Is it possible your individual actions have more far reaching effects on others than just you? If your answer to that question happens to be a yes then you’re welcome to this week’s discuss on #TheCatalyst tagged Beyond Me.
Am a firm believer in the saying that the actions of the unit affects the collective. The effect of our individual actions when pulled together is the picture we see daily in our family, societies and nation. This understanding has acted as a thermostat for my actions and decision-making, because I aim to contribute positive values in my society. Examples abound on how your singular action can result in a colossal destructive or constructive end.
A singular decision to drink and drive makes you a hazard not just to yourself but to other road users, now imagine if 30% of road users drink and drive on a particular day.
A singular decision to be dishonest in business transactions over time by several independent individuals can spell doom for anyone that belongs to that same race, tribe or religion.
A singular independent decision by several adults to lie before their young wards could breed a society where honesty is as water in the Sahara.
In a bid to keep this discuss as simple as possible I hope my point has not been lost. It’s important that each and every one of us understand that we contribute to the decadence or decency in society. I believe that if we can grasp the wisdom in this days issue and brood over it and seek ways to apply it, then we can truly say change is on the way.
I am a firm believer in the positive transformation of our country but not without the commitment of each citizen to personal transformation. Let the change begin with you; understand that our singular actions when pulled together has a greater far reaching effect than we could ever imagine.
God bless you as you begin the beyond me campaign.

Laws/Principles That Made Nations Great

Laws/Principles That Made Nations Great

1. Principle of Hardwork and Creativity.
2. Principle of Integrity.
3. Principle of Respect for credit and obligation.
4. Principle of Frugality
5. Principle of respect for rule of law and maintainance of law and oder
6. Principle of Altruism
7. Principle of payment of taxes and dues.

Intrestingly all of this principles were adapted from the bible, and was practiced by certain group of individuals known as the Puritans (The Puritans were a group of people who grew discontent in the Church of England and worked towards religious, moral and societal reforms). This principles where consistently practiced amongst them as individuals and then extended to communities and then into Governance. This principles became the transformation regime for Europe, then North America and then in 1871 the Asians noticed the sporadic development in Europe, and America and then sent there best minds to go and learn the secrets that had transformed this Nations. The fore mentioned laws where learnt, adapted
and taken back to their land, after consistent aplication over time Asia also has witnessed significant transformation as this principles have become neately integrated into their culture and fabric of society.
This same laws/Principles if consistently practiced in our individual lives , families and communities and also integrated into the very fabric of our Governance structure, we also can experience same transformation, but we must first decide as individuals to begin to change… We can no longer continue as we have in the past and expect any form of sustainable development in our life time. One of the core principle mentioned above is the principle of ALTRUISM (it is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of others without any form of obligation or force or expectation) this our jungle mind set has got to stop… We need to think of how our actions affect the collective and not just the unit (yourself).
The change we seek might not be fully achieved in the next 1 year or even 2years or the next 2 decades, but we must be commited to begin the process with ourselves first and then our families and then the community… Then the government, because we know that in doing this the change is inevitable, may be not in our life time but defineitly in the life time of our children.
My prayer is that the few sane minds that would read this would pick up those principles and and commit to them and even teach others…. Let The Transformation Begin. Your a major Player in this game, make it count.

This has been a long essay or epistle from me today… Please let it not be in vain, Just do your bit diligently. Gods Grace pals.

…Nigeria and by extension Africa is Transformed.