Why Don’t We Do More?

I find myself wondering why more Nigerians are not whistleblowers. Why do we allow wrongs to continue without reporting to the appropriate authority? For instance, why is it that we allow ourselves to be chanced (taken advantage of) by policemen over and over again? Everyone I know has a Naija police story to tell. Why is it that we don’t hold people accountable for their actions? Why is it that we live in a mess? Why is it that nothing works? Why? Why aren’t we a people called to action? Why do we just let things be? Do we not care? Are we too lazy to stand up for something?

The other day, I was with friends and I said the next time I’m in Naija and I get stopped by a policeman asking for a bribe, I will refuse to for as long as I possibly can, give the bribe only if I have to, cram the officer’s name and number in my head and then go to the nearest police station and report the situation. Funny right? My friends too just laughed and said whatever. Like, you really have time to waste? Actually, I just might have some extra time on my hands. I am tired of always being chanced (such a Naija word) whenever I’m in Naija. There’s always someone trying to get one over on me. Even though the whole reporting of police officers may not get me anywhere, I’d still be interested in knowing how many people will stand up and say enough is enough.

Speaking of whistle blowing, I have been a whistleblower for the longest. I’m one of those people that fills out suggestion cards at restaurants, stores, etc. I don’t care if no one reads them (okay, maybe I care a little) but I fill them out in the event that someone ends up reading it. One whistleblowing episode that comes to mind dates back to form 1 (middle school). Smoking was not allowed on school premises and I’d read the school prospectus thoroughly before my first day of school. Anyhow, at break time (recess) one day, my friends and I discovered some form 6 (high school) seniors smoking behind the food vendors’ kiosks. My pre-teen spirit was incensed because these guys were breaking the rules. I didn’t know who they were but I felt compelled to report them - not to my class prefect, not to my teacher, or vice principal, I went to the PRINCIPAL. I got the names of all the seniors from my class prefect by asking “what’s that senior’s name?” and promptly writing it down on a sheet of paper. I gathered my witnesses, the friends I’d been to lunch with (some of them backed out) and we went to the principal’s office. He was quite impressed and the next day, those seniors were called out at assembly and flogged right in front of the whole school. LOL. The principal didn’t reveal his sources and nobody except my friends and I knew how the whole thing happened.

Now that I’m older and wiser, this whole episode seems funny and not as dramatic as I thought it was back then. However, it reminds me that there’s something within me that gets called to action. I can’t just sit back and not say anything. I am a reporter so y’all just watch out. Whistleblowing does not always pay but I’m a whistleblower all the same. Some years ago at another job, I stumbled upon a new hire that I felt had no business being hired. Some background information validated my claims that the individual was far from qualified for the job. This person had only been hired as a favor and was getting paid beaucoup bucks. I went over to the person in charge of all hiring to voice my concerns and the reaction I got was shocking. I was asked what I wanted in return, what my goals were and if there was a job within the company that I might be interested in. This individual was trying to shut me up. Needless to say, I didn’t work there for much longer but I’ve never regretted the fact that I spoke up. I have digressed; the point of this post was to ask why Nigerians are so laid back when faced with injustice? We seem to just shrug and take whatever junk is thrown our way. Our people and our country suffer from lack of people who genuinely care. Okay, I know that there are people who put themselves out on the line but there's not enough of them. The lesson our laissez-faire attitude teaches future generations is that the people who came before them don't give a hoot.