State of the nation : The eye that sees the truth, covered with 'bribed' hands By Bashorun Saintabey

 

 In a world filled with deception and hidden agendas, there is an eye that sees the truth. However, this eye remains covered, obstructed by the hands of bribery. The power of truth is immense, capable of uncovering the darkest secrets and exposing the lies that surround us. But when corruption seeps its way into the system, the eye that sees the truth becomes clouded, its vision impaired.

Bribery, the act of offering or accepting gifts, money, or other favors to influence someone's actions or decisions, has plagued societies for centuries. It is a sinister force that undermines the very fabric of justice and fairness. The hands of bribery reach deep into the pockets of those in power, blinding them to the truth and distorting their perception of what is right.

When the eye that sees the truth is covered by these bribed hands, justice becomes a mere illusion. The scales are tipped in favor of the highest bidder, leaving the common man at the mercy of those who can afford to buy their way out of accountability. The truth becomes a casualty, buried beneath layers of deceit and manipulation.

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Sadly, the consequences of this deception are far-reaching. The trust in institutions, once the bedrock of a functioning society, erodes as people lose faith in the system. The eye that sees the truth, when obscured by bribery, leaves a void that is filled with cynicism and apathy. The very pillars of democracy crumble under the weight of corruption, and the voice of the people becomes silenced.

However, even in the face of such adversity, the eye that sees the truth cannot be extinguished entirely. It may be covered, but its power remains dormant, waiting for the right moment to break free from the shackles of bribery. History has shown us that the truth is resilient, and it will always find a way to shine through the darkness.

To uncover the truth and remove the hands of bribery, we must stand united against corruption. It is a collective responsibility to demand transparency, accountability, and integrity from our leaders and institutions. We must strive to create a culture where the eye that sees the truth is celebrated and protected, rather than stifled and silenced.

On Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Nigeria scored 24 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Nigeria ranked 150th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked last is perceived to have the most corrupt public sector.

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According to Corruption Perception Index reported by Transparency International, Nigeria is currently the 154th corrupt nation out of 180 countries sampled. The principal index used for the ranking has to do with how corrupt the public sectors of the countries ranked were perceived to be. The index brought into the limelight the gravity of the damage done in the public sector, which is key to development.

My findings revealed that "Thirty per cent of Nigerians paid bribe to public officials;

Private sector bribery was 5.7% while public sector bribery was 30% in 2022; Direct bribery requests by public officials accounted for 60% of all bribery transaction in 2020. While prevalence of bribery decreased marginally, frequency of bribe payment has not;

Prevalence of bribery increased with educational attainment in Nigeria. More educated people are more like to pay bribes;

Forty-eight per cent of Nigerians who refused to pay bribes suffered negative consequences.

In our society today, the eye that sees the truth, covered with 'bribed' hands, represents a grave threat to justice and fairness. Bribery distorts the vision of truth, leaving us in a state of moral ambiguity. However, with our collective effort, we can unveil the eye that sees the truth, expose corruption, and restore faith in the power of honesty. Let us work towards a world where the truth prevails and justice reigns supreme.

Bashorun Saintabey is a socio - philosopher, author, reformer, coach and public policy expert, a seasoned academia who loves to write about social related and contemporary issues.