YUBEDEE PYAMENE ANOKARI
He who pays the piper, calls the tune.
With every acts of favour, with every deed of kindness, we are subtly but surely indebted to the giver.
Now with gifts not being a bad thing, I mean, even Jesus received gifts at his birth, so clearly giving gifts has been a welcome age long tradition we were all born into.
However, there could be so many reasons for giving gifts and that’s where the issue lies. If it’s done genuinely out of love, concern and appreciation, then it should be embraced with both arms; but if you should as much as sense any negative undertone or motive, then it is wise you have a second thought and thread with caution.
Imagine you work for a cooperation and one of your job specifications is to make sure those above you(your bosses) always do what is right and there are no cases of misappropriation of the cooperation’s finances, then these people who you were suppose to keep a critical eye on (because where there is a possibility of a thing going wrong, it might as well just go wrong) starts being a little too nice, gifting you cars on a regular, sponsoring overseas vacation for you, and buying you properties. Tell me, would you have the moral right and courage to speak up if something goes wrong?
How about a man who claims to be independent of his parents, leaving the house only to go live in a mansion still paid for by his parents, they foot the rent yearly and he lives on stipends and donations from these same parents he claims to be independent of.
This obviously begs the question, is he really independent? Or is he just living in “glorified dependence”
Will he ever have the stomach and moral justification to speak any wrong against his parents? I think we both know the answer.
With the River State Government gifting the state judiciary two sets of costly SUV’s running into millions of naira in just three years, and building residential apartments still for the same judiciary alone, it is very hard to believe there are no political undertones to this supposed show of love and concern only towards the judiciary.
It is almost impossible to say there are no strings attached to these gifts, with the focus being specifically and solely on the judiciary, while other hardworking staff as well, of the state civil service haven’t as much as being promoted for half a decade now, not to talk of receiving gifts of luxurious cars and houses by the state government. Those promoted are yet to receive commiserate enumeration due them for years still counting!
With this said, it will be politically correct to say the state government in its insincere show of kindness, is trying to buy over the judiciary, if not successfully bought already. Cos we all know, you wouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you and every act of kindness must and will be repaired in time to come.
It is frightening to imagine the judiciary which is supposedly the last hope of the common man is now a toothless watchdog, more like a pet dog of the executive.
However, in as much as the judiciary congratulates and rains encomiums on the government for their show of love towards them, they should be ready to always dance to the turn of the state government. For just as gifts are given, we have seen that they can be withdrawn – with the building which was previously gifted to Labour by the government, temporarily closed down and locked away because of a supposed credibility test.
Should we be more concerned of the integrity of the River State Judiciary and its credibility in giving just judgement in matters concerning the state government?
Yubedee Pyamene Anokari, is a contributor on the blog, an amazing content writer and entrepreneur. Currently a student of environmental studies at the University of Port Harcourt, an SDG advocate, passionate about personal growth and development.
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