Re: The craze for easy money in Nigeria and the Hanifa story, by Prof M. K. Othman
Deep Thought with Othman
Again, it is time to allow the esteemed readers of this Column to air their views. There were varieties of views on almost every topic I presented in this Column. Today, I am presenting some edited views on the topic “The Craze for Easy Money in Nigeria and The Hanifa Story”.
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The Hanifa saga continues to hunt our psyche until justice is done and preventive measures taken against repeat and replication of the saga in our society. Happy reading:
Prof, your article speaks volumes of the moral decay in our society. The safe school initiative of the Government has a lot to contribute in controlling the excesses of these criminals masquerading as Proprietors. Government must continue to seek means of revamping our educational institutions to make these private schools dysfunctional, as they have become avenues and catalysts for crimes. While these may be isolated cases, the regulatory institutions must be up and doing and appropriate the right sanctions to erring institutions.
The roles of parents in the upbringings of their wards need not be overemphasized; Hanifa was too young to be entrusted to go to school all by herself. She should have been under the care of her parents or guardians when she was not in class. This lacuna is what was responsible for this dastardly act and gave the criminal in the name of Proprietor to find her a soft target.
Thank you Sir for sharing with me, once again your various interventions through the pen are making modest contributions to our society.
Musa Aliu, Zaria.
Fantastic, Prof, may your pen ever be flowing with the ink of wisdom, amen. Nigeria is a nation where nobody or government questions the source of your wealth, the use of BVN is just existing without being used for verification, where underage are swimming in resources not worked for, where law enforcement agents share the proceeds of crime with criminals, where people celebrate rich people with untraceable sources, where intelligent and hard work are no longer celebrated, where the good name of the family is no longer preserved and cherished, where all manner of things can be done for money. It is only God of genuine revival that can cure this nation.
Prof Olakojo Samuel Adelow, Ibadan.
My Prof. You have said it all. But I fear that, if this barbarism continues to spread like a great cyclone as it is doing now in Nigeria without any security upsurge, we will soon go back to the age of troglodyte. We made laws, which only work on the poverty-stricken individuals while the criminals that have amazed Haram’s wealth are celebrated across the country. Thus, only Allah can save us from this serious schizophrenia.
Well done my Prof. You continue to ring the golden bell of alarms, but I don’t know whether the listeners are sleeping or are just political sycophants? My Prof, I suggest that the death of Hanifa should be used as a deterrent to the others by executing her culprit in a market square of Kano.
Yakubu Yunusa Sakpe, Bida.
When people with ill-gotten wealth are praised and given red carpet treatment in society. The craze to get rich quickly by feeble-minded members of society will take a calamitous dimension. Only God will help us out of this ugly trend. Many thanks for this educative piece, sir.
Jonah Attah, Abuja.
May Almighty Allah protect us from the hands of the evil ones. And may we be contented with what we are destined to have.
Your write-up is very educative, Sir.
Aliyu Yakubu, Kaduna.
Great piece Prof. More wisdom Sir. It is a painful and unbearable tragedy to Hanifah’s family and the world at large. We hope that justice should be served. A similar case was Soffiyah’s case in Abeokuta who was beheaded by her boyfriend.
Dr Adams Tijjani Zaria.
Innalillahiwainnailaihiraji’un. Ya Allah continue to protect us from known and unknown evils planned or unplanned by Shaytan, humans, jinns, and their accomplices. This is indeed a sad part of our national history which if allowed to continue can lead to complete lawlessness in society.
What could be the possible causes of this craze for easy money? In my opinion, it may be a result of corruption and corrupt tendencies in all our basic institutions of school, family, religion, government, and economy. Admission into our institutions of learning was considered on merit. That merit was defined by the number of credits or combination of subjects provided by the various regulatory bodies such as JAMB. To meet these basic paper qualifications, parents, students, school administrators strive to get results from WAEC or NECO by all means. This effort led to the proliferation of magic centres that are well known across the country. The authorities are doing nothing or governing bodies to deter the creation of those centres due to interests and corruption. The students end up in higher institutions with little basic knowledge of the requirements for higher education. All they are after is the certificate; hence all forms of malpractice, buying of grades with money or through sexual gratification are done to pass exams. This is the basis for corruption in Nigeria.
I remember in our secondary school when we were writing exams, black Maria used to be stationed by the side waiting for an exams’ malpractice case. Everyone was careful not to be involved. The craze for certificate and the corrupt ways through which it was obtained drive the people to the craze for money from their investment. Any window of opportunity, the result is beyond imagination. The cases of security operatives aiding the corrupt practices and compromising are well documented. Check roadblocks along the highways, the cases of Magu and Kyari, etc all in the name of quick money-making.
This corruption has also depleted our economy, as the government can no longer afford to provide those free education, basic health care, employment, security, etc. Parents can no longer afford to provide basic needs of their family. Children drop out of school to be engaged in menial jobs. Some end up in the company of bad friends that introduce them to crimes and related activities.
The religious institutions were also not spared by corruption; we see cases of diversion and personalization of funds by the leaders, buying private jets, luxury apartments, and Ferraris with the sweat of their followers. Therefore, all that we think about the craze for quick money is deeply rooted in our basic institutions. We have to look back and reflect on this for a lasting solution.
Dr SaniIsiaku, Zaria.
Unfortunately, the new generations of leaders are not helping. The previous leaders were more visionary, less materialistic, self-sacrificing, not greedy, valued human lives, unlike today direct opposite. It’s worrisome and to me, the future seems bleak, especially for the majority of youths that are left stranded with no proper education, involvement in reasonable ventures or connection to society is already an indication of bitterness, inequalities in terms of social welfare, etc.
Good morning my amiable Prof. I am impressed with the cutting-edge articles that touch the ills of our society especially as it affects the youths.
Dr Anlade Yakubu, Aliero.
Salam Prof. Thanks for the concluding part of your article on the unfortunate circumstances, in which children find themselves nowadays, of being abducted and killed by their supposed protectors even after ransom payment. The craze for easy money is the root cause of all these kinds of vices.
Prof Abdulhameed Y. Umar, Kano.
Prof Othman writes from NAERLS, ABU Zaria and can be reached via email: mkothman@gmail.com.
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