Recently, I was chatting with a Nigerian guy about a couple of things namely, politics, corruption, poverty, disease, etc in developing countries and particularly in Nigeria.  This guy is currently campaigning vigorously on behalf of former military dictator, Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida to return to power in Nigeria as a ‘civilian president’ in 2007.  He contends that Rtd. General Babangida is the best candidate to rule Nigeria because he (this guy) was given a princely sum of Euro2000 in order to win his support when he paid a visit to Nigeria a couple of months ago.  Indeed, this guy had the effrontery to invite me to Babangida’s convention in Germany (all expenses paid), come August 2006.  I dazzled and tackled him so much that he ended up saying this notorious but popular phrase ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ and I almost passed out.  It is not surprising to know that there are people in my generation who believe that the developing world especially our beloved country Nigeria, where a corrupt third term agenda was successfully aborted is in a hopeless situation; therefore the only available option is to fall in line and join the bandwagon.  Indeed, he said the demise of the third term agenda paves the way for his ‘evil genius’ contender.  They rejoice at the triumph of evil and mourn at the death of true democracy and freedom.
 
For this young man and many others, the world has come to a standstill; he feels hopeless and has given up the fight (not sure he was ever involved in the struggle).  He is ready to leave his destiny and that of future generations of him in the hands of corrupt leaders because to him, there is no way out.  What baffles me though, is why do people adopt a defeatist view regarding local, national and international issues, which affect their lives and those of members of their families?  Where is the natural instinct in man to fight back when things are going wrong?   What makes people jump on the bandwagon and fall in line?
 
One of the reasons for falling in line is poverty.  Poverty does cause aggression.  As the saying goes, a hungry man is an angry man.   Being poor to some people is like getting a blow to the head.  It keeps you from thinking clearly and makes you act in ways you usually would not behave. You lose self-control and act impulsively, although greed could also be a factor but are these enough reasons fall in line or to throw the proverbial baby and bathwater away?  As someone who has been stung by the fangs of chronic poverty, my answer is an emphatic no.
 
Falling in line means that people join those who are openly corrupt, loot and spend tax payers hard-earned money on overseas trips, vintage cars, women or men as the case may be, clubbing, and generally living it up in castles that are highly unsustainable. The effect on the corrupt person’s character is that he/she becomes a dubious cool cat, who is too cool for his own good; who our good girls should have no business knowing.

And because some of our girls are either very poor or materialistic, they also jump on the bandwagon helping to spend the largesse, not caring whether they inherit deadly diseases in the process.  In fact, some young undergraduate girls have a trend.  They use sex as a weapon to get money from sugar daddies because they want to wear the latest designs of clothes and shoes on and off campus.  It is a form of exchange.  You give me money, I give you sex. You don’t give me, you don’t get any.  It’s all back to falling in line.  ‘Money for hand, back for ground’.  ‘Scratch my back, I scratch yours’.  The attitude is that most young ladies are doing it, why not me?  It is bad from a moral point of view but ‘I cannot beat them so I must join them’.  The same defeatist attitude rears its head in this scenario.

It is becoming a familiar story.  Some corrupt African leaders want to win everything and be the biggest and ‘best’ in the world by all means.  They usually carry along those with defeatist tendencies and outbid all their rivals to get what they want, and then just keep on buying, spending and determined to purchase only the best and most expensive commodities, barely making a dent in their near-unlimited ill-gotten wealth and recruiting any one who cares to belong to their clique or bandwagon.  

Cliques are circles of power wherein leaders attain and wield influence over their followers by cyclically building them up and cutting them down, first drawing them into the elite inner circle and allowing them to bask in the glow of popularity and acceptance, and then reducing them to positions of dependence and subjugation. 
 
It is paramount that people understand the implications of this societal dynamics of power and manipulation as well as the dangers of falling in line.  Younger citizens of the world especially developing countries must imbibe the notion of ‘if you can’t join them, beat them.’  Changing the status quo in most African countries whereby corruption is the currently the defining currency of exchange must start from individuals.
 

Robot  # 1 | 29.05.2006 00:18

...Read the full article.

Marie-Jay ABRAXAS  # 2 | 29.05.2006 02:25

Hi, Señorita Benedicta Attoh: Thanks a billion, Señorita Benedicta Attoh, for this very enlightening and inspiring article. Nigerians, shine your eyes well-well! Agradece mil millones, Señorita Benedicta Attoh, para este artículo muy de aclaración e inspirante. Nigerianos, ¡brille sus ojos muy bien! In other words, and in summary you are saying that: By definition, cliques are circles of power in which leaders attain and wield influence over their followers, by alternately building them up, and cutting them down to size, first drawing them into an elite inner circle, allowing them to bask in the blaze of enhanced self esteem and recognition, and then abruptly reducing them to positions of irrelevance, or dependence, or vulnerability, or/and subjugation. It is a well known and very sad fact that members of Nigeria’s profligate and prodigal political elite, particularly retired soldiers, usually choose their victims from a large pool of very willing Nigerians with pitiably defeatist predispositions. Typically, members of the Nigerian status quo out-bid their rivals to get whatever it is that they want, and then just keep on acquiring consuming, spending, and mindlessly purchasing the best and most expensive commodities money can buy, while recruiting any one who cares to belong to their clique or cabal. It is therefore imperative that Nigerians understand the dire implications of this societal dynamics of power and manipulation, as well as the dangers of sheepishly falling in line. Nigerians must reject (in toto) the defeatist notion of “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Changing the status quo in Nigeria must start from the individual. It is paramount that Nigerians understand the full implications of this societal dynamics of power and manipulation, as well as the dangers of falling in line. Muchas gracias, mi amigo, Señorita Benedicta Attoh.

unregister  # 3 | 29.05.2006 03:13

Our generation is in deep trouble. Babangida or any other ex-dictator/ex-military cannot be legally stopped from contesting. Our people cannot also be stopped from running after their loot like chickens running after corn. None of the current contenders has the money or reach of Ibrahim Babangida. If we have 38 contenders in 07 it will be so difficult but not impossible to stop him. An incumbent President (Obasanjo) could have stopped him i.e. defeated him but we elected to foreclose that option for "democratic" reasons. For the same democratic reason he cannot be denied contest. Buba Marwa's calculation was that he would be ineligible. Ditto Kalu and Atiku. Now that he's out there we'll see. Left to me, the National Assembly should democratically pass legislation to specifically bar ex-military from Presidency otherwise we may end up running from Obasanjo third term into Babangida third term (God forbid) but it may be too late to prefer the former. Thanks anyway for stimulating awareness.

Papino  # 4 | 29.05.2006 07:57

Sister, your article is indeed a serious look into the shameful resort to heralding evil all in the name of joining a baseless course.That somebody living in Europe would sell out so cheap(Euro 2000)makes it even more ridiculous.One wonders what the dispora learn from their environment if people like IBB would recieve support from a Nigerian living in a society where functional democracy is practised. I can imagine who this dim-wit is and we would wait for their August date.Nigerians better get used to giving a solid root to some laudable policies of OBJ.My fear is that typical of Nigera,the good policies of OBJ would be messed up if we don't insist on voting in, somebody with a genuine interest in moving Nigeria forward. IBB has no moral status to seek a democratically elected position because he murdered the first and only freely contested election in Nigeria.Going into the corruption allegations would take our precious time as we can only imagine that his staying free till this day is as a result of his marnouvering capabilities.One thing is for sure, his manouvering abilities cannot give us anything positive.

emj  # 5 | 29.05.2006 10:36

Benedicta, am sure that ur friend has acess to much more than 2000 euros. It is indeed a pity that people will sell their soul for peanuts, using poverty as an excuse. Our thinking and reasoning in africa and Nigeria in particular is a function of our lazy character. We are so laid back about some many things, always looking for the easy way out:exclaim: Quote <B>It is becoming a familiar story. Some corrupt African leaders want to win everything and be the biggest and ‘best’ in the world by all means. They usually carry along those with defeatist tendencies and outbid all their rivals to get what they want, and then just keep on buying, spending and determined to purchase only the best and most expensive commodities, barely making a dent in their near-unlimited ill-gotten wealth and recruiting any one who cares to belong to their clique or bandwagon. Cliques are circles of power wherein leaders attain and wield influence over their followers by cyclically building them up and cutting them down, first drawing them into the elite inner circle and allowing them to bask in the glow of popularity and acceptance, and then reducing them to positions of dependence and subjugation. And of course, they will fore-ever be subservient and grateful for the crumbs that falls from the master's table. Quote It is paramount that people understand the implications of this societal dynamics of power and manipulation as well as the dangers of falling in line. Younger citizens of the world especially developing countries must imbibe the notion of ‘if you can’t join them, beat them.’ Changing the status quo in most African countries whereby corruption is the currently the defining currency of exchange must start from individuals. People have to learn to have self-worth.