There is a reason why the rule of law, as opposed to rule of men,
is fundamental to the entrenchment of all-round development of a nation. Should
men be given the impression that they can get away with infractions and breach
of the law, their hearts swell with impunity, they become heartless. They live
by their own rules. They take on wings to do as they like. They assume that
rules exist to be broken and other men are lesser mortals before them. They
become gods. Six years back, I was in some other part of the world to supervise
the production of a print job.
One of
these days, the General Manager of the company asked if I was familiar with a
particular Nigerian and I responded in the affirmative. Who does not know him?
On our way out of the factory, he made a detour towards the warehouse and
pointed in a particular direction. Seated there were cartons of goods ready for
shipping, being held back. He told me that job had been commissioned by this
Nigerian several months back, but because he had refused or neglected to make
the outstanding payment of $10,000, the company was holding on to the goods. My
host asked: “Why are Nigerians like that?” The same man, he said, had called
him when he came into town.
He flew into that country in a private jet. He lodged in the penthouse of one of
the most expensive hotels in town, but rather than pay the $10,000, he pushed
it off the table. Rather, he dwelt more on dropping names of the President,
state governors, ministers, and all sorts of irrelevant side talks. Rather than
pay the outstanding, he takes on the outlandish, promising some future
business, on the strength of connections with the high and mighty. A man will
not meet his present obligations, but has no scruples in living large at the
expense of tomorrow.
