WHO YOU KNOW” SYDROME

The sound of my country as the most populous black nation in the world, largest producer of Crude Oil in Africa, second largest deposit of Bitumen in the world, 2^nd largest exporter of Cocoa, largest exporter of Cassava and some many other encouraging pedigrees, paints the picture of a very economically and politically stable country. Also as at when Nigeria gained independence, we were foreseen to be one of the greatest countries amongst the former British colonies, but with the prevailing realities on ground, that projection is still a future to look up to. Growing cases of corruption in diverse forms, bad leadership, increase level of poverty, high mortality rates, and increased insecurity has bedevilled this nation, leaving the developmental pedal on a standstill or, to be a bit generous, a “snail speed”.

            The level of corruption in the nation is alarming as the canker has eaten deep into almost every facet of the nation’s fabric. Every day we hear different types of manipulation, embezzling and doctoring of accounts. Ethnicity and nepotism have beclouded the sense of reasoning, of choosing of leaders and different people for different positions. Nigeria is ranked 139 out of 176 countries in Transparency International 2012 perception index, tied with Azerbaijan, Kenya, Nepal and Pakistan. The problems affecting this nation are numerous, ranging from corruption to bad leadership, ethnicity, to nepotism e.t.c., but the focus of this piece is on the “who you know” syndrome which can be tied to majority of the other problems facing this great nation.

            This issue of “who you know,” which could be expanded to include nepotism, tribalism, ethnicity and favouritism, is one of the major problems affecting this nation.  And my fear is that the younger generation are gradually being oriented to think that it is the way the society is meant to be. From top government officials giving appointments based on those with the longest leg (who know people), defrauding merit and character, to teachers giving better grades to students that are ‘closer’ to them instead of grading based on efforts, to elections, even, into religious offices, to universities not adhering to the set rules for admitting students, employing ethnic and religious bias in the process-some schools quickly come to mind). The matters arising from this concept or, should we term it practice, are so much, so numerous, that it is gradually becoming the norm; the right way looking like the wrong way; because when you do not participate, you are thought of as a fool. Hence, the ‘if you can’t beat them, you join them’ formula is running rent-free in our public lives.

            I beg to emphasise that a country that runs on this concept will never develop because, it, most times, will result in cases of round pegs in square holes in the corridors of power. The right people for the Job will not get it and the wrong people will not do it well; the consequence of it not done well spreads and that is the beginning of a damning end. To be very realistic, the prevailing situation in this nation fully supports the “who you know” syndrome but I will like to inform that the best way for things to be done is working and making decisions based on merit. Citizens of this nation should begin to work hard to get results and not always try to want to cut corners; students should read to pass and not know someone to pass; employment should be given to those that seek jobs based on merit and not bias; government should employ the right people for the right jobs; citizens of this nation should be ready to vote in the right person to do a job and not look at political aspirants from the eye of tribalism. The “who you know” syndrome has done more harm than good to this nation and its citizens and should be highly discouraged.

            However, it is one of those concepts that, when fuelled with positive energy, can be used to enhance growth, but it must go along with merit and equity. Dear Nigerians, let us strive to be the best we can be in every ramification of our endeavours and not rely on ‘Long leg’. Let us come together and make this nation great again; let the noise of our merits and abilities wake up the sleeping giant, teach the young ones to work hard and not look for short cuts....KICK  “WHO KNOW WHO SYNDROME” OUT OF NIGERIA