Our World and Greed.
Good day my fellow music lovers. Your friend, the lover of reggae music is here again.
"The whole world is facing the same problem; Greed."
Two weeks ago, I talked about the effects of crime and corruption on the affairs of humans. Last week, I considered the instrument that leads many astray. The instrument is money. Most crimes and corrupt practices are fueled by desperate love for money.
A few years ago, I was in a political rally to listen to what a politician had to say.
I was shocked to my bone marrow when he informed the people that money wasn't his problem rather the problem was how to spend it. This was someone that was a low income earner before being appointed by the government to serve a Minister.
In the following electioneering period, he obtained his party's ticket to contest for the governorship seat of his state. He was debunking some insinuations going round that he was eyeing the governorship seat because of his plan to go and embezzle the state's resources. He decided to, perhaps ignorantly, abuse the sensibility of the people by saying that he had so much money that his problem was how to spend it. Money amassed from his position as federal cabinet member. As expected, the people gave him applause. I didn't blame them. Many were at the rally not to listen to the policy direction of the candidate if he wins but just to get what to eat for that day as almost every rally ends up with a token given to each attendee.
I left there and on my way back home, many questions were troubling my mind. Questions like what was the man trying to achieve by acquiring wealth to the point that spending it was giving him a headache.
I was deep in this thought when I heard some wailings out of an emergency situation. A woman, probably in her seventies, had collapsed while breaking rocks to sell for food.
In some parts of Nigeria, people participate in quarrying manually. They use big hammers to break rocks into pieces and they are filled into sacks. Each sack had its price.
The septuagenarian, who was supposed to be in her retirement, was out to find her source of livelihood. Unfortunately, a stone fell on her and he was being rushed to the hospital.
My mind immediately went to the governorship candidate with money that he didn't know how to spend.
I arrived home and met my mother trying to do some mathematics in her kitchen to get dinner ready. The things that she needed were not all available. I shook my head as I returned to the sitting room to ask my father questions.
"What could be the reason for someone to amass wealth (public funds) beyond what he needed while we have others that are dying of hunger and manageable diseases?"
His response was one, "Greed."
Later in the evening, he played a song by Lucky Dube on his audio cassette player. The song is titled "The Hand that Giveth"
"Ojo," he called me. "Listen to the lyrics of the songs."
I could remember how serious I was that evening in following the lyrics to understand the message being passed. I was nodding my head when Dube was asking some questions from those whose lifestyles have been taken over by greed.
"Are you feeling happy?
When you see another man starving?"
Lyrics
Till today, I wonder if everyone thinks in the direction of the plights of the downtrodden.
In Nigeria, every nook and cranny of the country is accessible by politicians during campaigns but when they get to offices, most of the areas become too remote for them to visit. The people are good for elections but not for the dividends of democracy.
The greed of the ruling class is too much especially in third world countries.
However, I do tell people that we can support ourselves to grow irrespective of the attitudes of the politicians.
A few days ago, I went to the market with a colleague. I saw frustration in the faces of the market women.
Inflation of more than 30% has eroded the purchasing power of the people. We walked up to a woman who was sitting beside bunches of bananas. Her face depicted someone that lacked patronage. My friend approached her to ask for the price of a bunch of bananas.
They negotiated to the point that it could be deduced that the woman was giving away the banana for such a price that my friend insisted on buying it because there were no sales.
I tapped him and told him to pay handsomely for the bananas.
"When you go to a supermarket, you pay according to the price tag without negotiation but when you are buying from people that really need support, you keep negotiating to get the price down. Pay an amount that would please this woman." I told him.
He paid the woman and upon counting the money, the smile that came out of the woman's face was contagious. She was confused with the assumption that my friend made a mistake.
"Mama, that's what we are paying for the bananas," I told her.
I am inspired to write this post with the season of love that we are. People are going through a lot and there is a need to put smiles on their faces.
One thing I believe is that leaders are the reflection of the people. A leader was once a follower. Many criticize the menace of greed in public offices because they don't have access to participate in the spoils.
We need to show genuine love to one another. Your little contribution to the advancement of humanity will go a long way to make the world a better place.
Love yourself, love your neighbor and spread the message of love. Give to the needy and always remember that according to Lucky Dube, blessed is the hand that giveth than the one that taketh.
I am beginning to love your heart more and more..
this post is the essence of the change needed and the change we bring
I don't spend my time in political rallies or trying to understand the corrupt leaders anymore. We don't need to ask the questions when we already know the answer.
we only need to be the solution to one person at a time
buying bunches of bananas to change a life.
love this ..
I'm sending you a dm ...check it ok? 🥰
This means a lot to me. The greatest motivation for me is to have someone (people) that love what I write. The joy is usually unquantifiable.
Oooh yes. We have been lament in my country for decades and things are going from bad to worse. Some people that lamented with us in the past got opportunity to share in the spoils at the detriment of good leadership and they didn't hesitate. With this, it became clear to me that we need to change the tactics. I am now advocating for a change at individual level.
Thank you. I am right there Ma'am.
Greed! It's been a part of human since the beginning of time.
You were so kind to remind your friend how to pay a little above the agreed price while comparing the situation to buying things in the superstore.
You see that politician? He lied. He needed more money and influence if not he wouldn't be contesting for a higher position.
I believe a little laughter and a lot of love can go a long way in making the world a better place
I have come to understand that greediness can't be eradicated from human existence. I just hope it could be managed better.
Thank you for the compliment.
Politicians? They lie with straight faces while the people cry.
I still believe that love makes the world go round.
Thank you for your time.
Greed. It is this act that makes people turn away from helping those who are in need. Imagine the man who said he has money but spending it is a problem. How could that be a problem when we keep hearing of those who are lacking and struggling to eat or make ends meet. These are people with which you can solve the problem of "I don't know how to spend the money" but greediness won't allow lots of people.
Not everyone understands the value in being humane. We all want it to ourselves alone without catering for the ones who actually need help. When we truly understand that Bible verse that the hand that giveth is blessed, everyone would want to show humanity to the world while putting smiles on the faces of those who are lacking.
Let's learn to practice love and giving — this is how we can make the world better. Lucky Dube is so right with those questions.
Many people, unfortunately, are religious in the surface but deep within, they don't care about what they read in the scriptures.
It's very unfortunate that there are no consequences for misappropriating public funds in Nigeria. The brouhaha of some agencies like EFCC is just for eye service. The major factor mitigating against our development is greed. It painful that a song that was released in the 90s still expresses our today's experiences.
Thank you for stopping by.
I don't know how we can overcome greed as humans, it's just so part of us and it's causing more damages everyday.
I popped in from #dreemport
#dreemerforlife
People have taken greed to the whole new level. I heard the news, this evening, of a man arrested for aiding bandits to attack his people for 1200 naira daily pay. It's crazy what greed could make people indulge in.
Thank you for the visit my fellow #dreemer
Haaa, that is crazy ooo , #1200 daily pay? What can that do in one's life?
You could imagine.
Yea
I have always been a patriotic citizen but never have I been a fan of politics. It is quite sad when you listen to politicians majestically reciting their campaign manifesto but as soon as they get to office they act like those words were never spoken of. I don't really blame those people that applaud him because we have been treated unfairly for so long that we have forgotten what true leadership feels like.
one of the simple definition of leadership is, a person who serves and lead others for the greater good but when you look at our own situation it is us that is serving our leaders not the other way around. Since no one is capable of holding them accountable for the crimes and atrocities they commit, it is almost impossible for them to realise how unfair their actions are.
Though I have always said this, ensuring the survival of humanity does not depend on our leaders, each individual is capable of making contributions to ensure those who are incapable of making a living are well taken care of.
Humanity is at the point of extinction in a world filled with greed, everyone going about their business without paying attention to whoever is in need of help. If only everyone could act the way you did, then there might be a little hope for humanity.
Pop in from #dreemport
#Dreemerforlife
The power is with the people. Unfortunately bad leadership has eroded that confidence. Ideally, the power to hire and fire lies with the people in a democracy.
Politicians are aware of the ineffectiveness of the people using the vested power. I read somewhere that some people are considering military but that shouldn't be an option. Democracy is the best but the pattern of Nigerian democracy isn't working. A democracy that creates wider gap between the rich and the poor.
Greed is has nothing to do with goodness. The only method to counteract such malevolence force is by upholding more pure and good human values.