It was the Irish statesman and conservative political theorist Edmund Burke, who in his approach to the question of good and evil said all that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is that good men do nothing.

This political philosopher who lived during the period of the French Revolution and the American War of Independence was greatly disturbed by the atrocities, deceit, and machination of the people of his time and the aloofness of those responsible for sanitizing the society but failed to do so.

His call on men and women with transparent integrity to check the excesses of the period goes a long way to confirm Nehru’s avowed philosophy of good and evil, when he enthused that evil unchecked grows; evil tolerated poisons the whole system.

This may have in part explained the crusade to deep-clean the nation of corruption which successive governments in the country may have championed but did not have the impetus to bring to a logical end even in the face of overwhelming international pressure.

In other words, the problem is still widespread with tax revenues, monies approved for infrastructural development across the country, and even constituency allowances for federal and state ligatures ending up in private pockets.

This invariably over the years has slowed down investment in public services, and raised the cost of living and doing business in the country.

Today, with democracy, which Nigeria has wholly imbibed and is flourishing, the government has instituted some legislations at the federal and state levels to contain the nefarious activities of fraudsters and criminals who have continued to wreak havoc on the country’s economic fortunes.

Correspondingly, the government has instituted due checks and balances to protect individual rights, combat crime waves, and check the excesses of economic saboteurs in the country.

It is therefore regrettable to hear that despite all these, there still exists a band of people whose daily vocation includes sheer deceit of innocent persons to dispossess them of their valuables such as handsets, and money, committing rape and armed robbery as well as kidnapping.

Painfully this has become a daily occurrence in our society, as frequently one hears or witnesses these atrocities committed by the renegades.

It is regrettable also that at a time when the country is going through national rebirth or rebranding some black sheep still exist as a cog in our wheel of progress, trying to turn back the hand of the clock and take us to the old days.

For how else can one explain the criminal pursuit of some evil-minded persons who decided to cart away the direct data capture machine and materials in their wards meant for the ongoing voter registration exercise nationwide?

After all, it is the will of a majority of Nigerians that the nation should adopt the bio-metric electronic voting system.

This should not be permitted.

We all have a moral and ethical duty to perform, by not allowing these groups of persons to soil our image particularly now that the international community is beginning to respect Nigeria’s fledgling democracy.

Habits they say die-hard, but it should not limit our relationship with others, as the only true gift a generation can give to itself is a good example.

And former President Goodluck Ebele Johnathan had time and again canvassed in his political philosophy one-man – one vote.

That is why the government and indeed all Nigerians should spare no effort in curbing the nefarious atrocities of this class of fraudsters, impersonators four-one-niners, bag snatchers, rapists, ballot box snatchers, and armed robbers who are contributing to the economic adversity and social morass of the Nigeria nation.

Barr.Fabian Awhen

Barrister Fabian Awhen is a veteran journalist, prolific writer, public affairs analyst, and media consultant. He is a retired Director of News and Current Affairs, Cross River Broadcasting Corporation, Calabar.
Tel. 08035524490

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