By George Best Okoroh
Those
condemning brain drain and the spate at which Nigerians jet out for greener
pastures should have rethink, pause and help to advocate a system that
will promote meritocrac
This has become necessary as the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egbu, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Enyinnaya Okorafor brought to the fore the nagging human errors responsible for the exodus of human brains. Bishop Okorafor juxtaposed the performances of diaspora Nigerians to their counterparts within the shores of the country in his Presidential Address to the Third Session of the Ninth Synod of the Diocese, held at Christ Anglican Church, Emeabiam, Owerri West LGA, Imo State, also painted a picture of same seeds on different soils---the good and the bad.
Delivering the charge on the theme
"Honour To A Father And A Master But Denying God Honour And Reverence ( Malachi
1:6 ) An Error", Bishop Okorafor posited that man-made circumstances in
Nigeria were setting the nation and its people back. "Nigerians abroad
doing great and making exploits in every aspect of human endeavours be it
Science, Technology, Medical Science, Arts and Literature,
Entrepreneurship etc have brought fame and respect for Nigeria because they
live outside the shores of Nigeria. If they were here, circumstances
beyond them would have brought them down, stressing that " these circumstances
are within us and are responsible for our setback".
The Anglican Prelate lamented the spate of tribalism, ethnoreligious factors, political deceit, corruption at all levels of our national life, unpatriotic nationals both leaders and the led, inconsistency in the country's national policies, lopsidedness in the share of the nation's commonwealth, appointments, mediocrity as against meritocracy as the bane of Nigeria's woes, and underscored that Nigeria as never before has witnessed the highest level of ethnicity and tribalism under the present administration in the country.
He further noted that assessment of appointments under President Muhammadu Buhari's watch was indicative of a high level of lopsidedness along the ethnic and religious divide, and challenged "Fellow Nigerians, as you go to the polls in 2023, shine your eyes and vote wisely. May God help Nigeria and Nigerians".
To
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bishop Okorafor urged the
body to prove itself an independent commission indeed by not being biased in the
conduct and declaration of results in the forthcoming elections.
The
Bishop frowned at the selective dispensation of justice in the country;
and stressed that the Judiciary, an arm of any democratic government is
expected to be the last hope of the common man and advocated allowing the
Judiciary to have its budget, control its budget and take decisions that
concern it where necessary without interference from the Executive arm.
"We live in a society where he who pays the piper dictates the tune and
expressed worry that until the Judiciary is free from the shackles of
being controlled by the Executive arm of government, it will continue to be in
bondage".
While
maintaining that the Judiciary appeared to be being muzzled up in the country
cited cases involving the former boss of the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu (alleged to be involved in money laundering),
the former Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosu (said to be indicted for
forgery) and more recently the former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris (accused of embezzlement of over a hundred and fifty billion
nairas) to buttress the need for the full autonomy of the judiciary while also
revealing the unserious nature of the present administration's commitment to
the fight against corruption.
The
Anglican Prelate urged that focus should be on what is right and not who is
right in taking decisions affecting the generality of the citizens,
cautioning Nigerian politicians to shun absolute loyalty to the party.
"Our interest should focus on the Nigerian nation and its
development, not on our different political parties. These parties will fizzle
out one day. The country remains", he warned
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