POWER CORRUPTS

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I know no one thinks or speaks unblemished English; therefore some grammatical anomalies have been retained in order to support the illusion of reality.

Certain things, makes me feel insecure about our country. There are things I can’t contain about the order of power in our society. Things that makes me awed when I’m around people I should feel more secured with.

People whose duties are to keep the nation safe from criminal elements. Could their actions be linked to the believe of power being intoxicating? This might sound cliché but these are things I have come to observe about power. Power when handled inappropriately intoxicates and makes the atrocious in nature more violent. Not only them but also people who enjoy power also allow themselves to get addicted to it and this changes their personality. With such people in charge of the nation’s security, it is not enough for one to be silenced to their misdemeanor but they demand one to also surrender to their terms. They fail to understand that not all people can be subjugated. The world would be a better place when these bad people in power are sieved from the good ones.

A law enforcement officer will deliberately assault a citizen and deludes the person to believe that the officer was assaulted by the citizen’s actions. Meanwhile, the officer goes scout free while the individual is being detained with the charges of assaulting an officer of the law.

Another thing that amazes me is the fact that they say ‘’the police is your friend’’. This is quite ironic because how can a citizen go to the station to lay a complaint about threat to life and our ‘’protectors’’ will rather request for money in the pretends of opening a file for the case and nothing will be done thereafter. This is really absurd.

Imagine an armed robbery attack in a neighborhood where the lives of people are in jeopardy, a good neighbor manages to alert the law enforcers about the ongoing robbery operation and the impeding danger. Their response would signify urgency in dealing with the situation but they will remain where they are until the robbery operation is over.                    

                It was towards evening around 5pm three law enforcers, sat under a tree for shade due to the scorching sun earlier in the afternoon. Taking their break from the afternoon’s work. The officer in the van that was packed along the road, being exhausted by the idleness stood up immediately as if he had been stung by an ant.

’Sergeant’! The officer called and one of the enforcer’s under the tree answered briskly ‘’Yes Sir! As he walked towards the officer.

‘Check how much we don collect today’, the officer told the sergeant. The sergeant went to the pigeon hole attached to the front dash board of the van and brought out an old dusty bag which served as their vault. He emptied the bag on the front seat and starts strengthening the squeezed money which they had collected from bus drivers during the day. He brought his hand to his mouth and wet his finger tips with his spittle to enable him count the money well.

‘’Oga na two thousand naira we get.’’ He said as he handed the money to the officer. The officer looked at him sternly, the stern look from the gruff officer made the sergeant to fidget.

‘’You dey sure na two thousand naira so?’’ the officer asked .

‘’Na only two thousand Oga, we used two hundred and fifty naira buy bread wey we chop for afternoon.’’ The sergeant replied as he removed his barrette to wipe the accumulated sweat from it.

‘’Hmm na em be say, work no dey at all today.’’

‘’Oya sergeant!’’  the sergeants matched and saluted the officer.

‘’Its time to fall back on the road, see as you sit there dey watch motor dey pass like that, oya mount on the road and make sure you use any means possible to collect money from the people.’’

As you don see, na only two thousand naira wey remain, so if you no do your job well, you no go fit go back with your chop money today. In fact any person wey prove stubborn and no wan comply make you signal me with a snap of the finger.

‘’You hear me so?’’ the officer asked them.

The enforcers nodded and began their road block again. Shortly, they saw a commercial bus approaching. One of the enforcers signaled the other to stop the approaching bus.

When the commercial driver saw the road block he slowed down. The enforcers signaled him to clear from the road as the others hurried to stop other approaching vehicles.

The commercial driver brought his face out through the open window and with his two hands placed on the steering wheel, he hailed the enforcer as he approached him.

‘’Oga me,’’ evening o!

‘’Oya chief wetin you get for boot,’’ the enforcer enquired from the driver as he circled the vehicle.

‘’Oya come down make we see wetin dey your boot.’’

Aha! Oga only one passenger I carry, nothing dey for boot.

The enforcer insisted that the man should open his boot.

The driver did as he was instructed. Thereafter, the enforcer demanded for his vehicle particulars, which the driver brought out from where it was tied behind the front rear view mirror and handed it to the enforcer.

After scrutinizing the papers and confirming that it was valid. He handed it back to the driver. The driver got the papers from him and entered his bus thinking he was free to leave, he slammed the door shut and was about to turn the ignition key when he heard the enforcer clear his throat, he turned to face the sneering enforcer. Whose hand was already resting on the roof of the vehicle. Clearing his throat, the enforcer dipped his hand in his pocket and unknowingly pulling it up which made the band of his trouser to reach his upper belly. Making his trouser ankle length, thus giving him an awkward look.

‘’Just find small money for your boss,’’ the enforcer told the driver, after he couldn’t find anything to use to penalize him.

‘’Oga nothing dey today o, today just dey dry,’’ the driver replied as he wiped the sweat in his forehead with his handkerchief. Wetin you mean, money no dey?’’ the enforcer asked after all the money wey you don collect finish since morning and you dey here dey tell me money no dey.

‘’Oga abeg money no dey,’’ the driver replied. I just dey commot for hospital wey my wife born new pinkin and the pinkin no dey well. The money wey I make today plus the one wey I get before don finish for hospital. The bill still remain for me to complete. Na em make I just carry this passenger for road to get small money join the one I wan go borrow from my friend.

The explanations of the driver fail on deaf ears as the enforcer remembered the warnings of his officer ‘’ No work no chop money’’.

‘’Just commot the money give me,make you dey go. This one you dey talk no concern me at all.

The driver didn’t know what to do again but plead.

The enforcer became infuriated by his pleas and flared up,’’ why you dey look me like that, I carry mask for face?’’

‘’If you no commot that money give me, you no go commot here today,’’ the enforcer said as he carried his gun on his shoulder and stood in front of the driver.

‘’hmm, which kind wahala be this God? which kind wickedness be this, if I get money I for don give this man teh teh. My worry dey for my new born pinkin for hospital. Na because this man wear uniform, he think say he go fit do any how em like.

After a while, the driver got pissed at the sneering enforcer and challenged the enforcer. ‘’ I dey tell you say my wife and new born pikin dey sick for hospital and you dey here dey force me, make I give you money. From where you wan make I get the money from? You give me any money to hold for you?’’ the driver spat at the enforcer.

‘’ Why you dey blow hot for me? If you no mind wey tin dey commot for your mouth, I go just charge you for assault,’’ the enforcer spat back with his gun pointing directly at the driver. Suddenly the bullet was released, the force of the bullet propelled the driver up and down his seat and he died instantly.

                In the back of my mind it frightened me that someone as prejudiced as this was allowed to wonder the streets with a loaded gun in his hands.