The state of affairs, where people do not subscribe to principles but act merely to achieve short term, narrow interests, and they appear to achieve their ends, leads many Nigerians to the question, “does integrity pay?”
Social Media is typically not a reliable source for any fact one expects to be taken seriously because of “fake news” and multiplicity of “alternative facts.” However, for the humorous and bizarre, it is quite the treasure trove. I recently came across a piece titled, “The weakness you ignore will take advantage of you,” which I found very instructive.
The story goes that there was a man, a local activist in a major Northern Nigerian city who incessantly accused his State government of massive corruption through the Media. He was then one day invited to the Government house by the Governor, who directed him to arrive by motor-tricycle taxi and that he (the Governor) would pay the fare. The said fellow reportedly arrived as instructed and the Governor told him to let the motor-tricycle go as he would be given a lift home after the meeting.
According to the story, he gave the activist the equivalent of£420 to pay the taxi as a way of “empowering” the driver and as a memorial to the day his vehicle brought a passenger to the Government House. The Governor reportedly asked the activist, ”what was the reaction of the driver after giving him such a huge amount? And the activist reportedly replied,“the man was actually dazed with shock!” Unknown to the activist, the security detail at the 2nd gate had in the story, been instructed to stop the taxi and bring him right back. When the driver was brought back to the Governor, the Governor asked him, ”how much did Mr. so-and-sopay you? He replied, “£42.”This happened in the presence of the activist.
The Governor reportedly smiled and said, ”You see, from £420 to £42, you have pocketed £378 in a matter of seconds!You have lost the chance to own a brand-new car. Look,here are the keys!I thought you were an honest man. I was even looking forward to working with you, but you have messed up, you are worse than those you accuse! You can leave now with your £378. Thank you very much for coming!”Since that very day, according to the story, the activist’s voice has disappeared from the airwaves!”
I did warn this was a story from social media. It therefore contains the usual aspects that don’t quite add up. Why would anyone be instructed to arrive by motor-tricycle; why would the Governor attempt to pay such a huge sum as the fare? Why was a brand-new car awaiting the activist; why would the government now want to work with him and so on? But, the story, probably designed as a propaganda piece, illustrates the duplicity we find today in public and private life in Nigeria. Agitations for change are very often to further very narrow interests of the agitators and those on the receiving end understand this and offer what the agitators seek to quell any agitation in the “public interest.”This state of affairs, where people do not subscribe to principles but act merely to achieve short term, narrow interests, and they appear to achieve their ends, leads many Nigerians to the question, “does integrity pay?”
There was once a Director of Programmes of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation who in the military days (circa. 1970) was accused of complicity in airing a play perceived to be detrimental to the government of the day. As was the practice in those days, the government came to arrest all those involved with creating the play. This Director was asked to finger all those “involved” so they could be arrested but he refused to do so because as the Director of Programmes, as a matter of principle, he was responsible. He was duly arrested and locked up in Force Headquarters (Moloney), Lagos.
While in incarceration he was told to write a statement. He did but the Officers were dissatisfied as they wanted a particular assistant of his to be included in his statement as a “troublemaker” who “wanted to bring down the government,” giving them a scapegoat, in exchange for his release. He refused again on a matter of principle and spent 7days being held by the police. They eventually picked up several of his staff and they were all remanded in Kiriki (Nigeria’s maximum-security prison) for another 10 days before they were released suddenly. They went back to work.
Over a year later, the same government that incarcerated this Director appointed him the new Director-General of the broadcasting corporation (for which he was one of those next in line). During his courtesy call on the President as was customary for such appointees in those days, he learned that when he had been picked up, the Head-of-State was out of the country and only learnt of it upon his return. At the first meeting of the Supreme Military Council thereafter, his immediate and unconditional release was ordered by the Head-of-State who asserted it was a mistake to have arrested him in the first place. He then further remarked during the courtesy call how he marvelled at this Director’s composure and ability to return to work despite the wrong that had been done to him. He had been watched for a while. The Head-of-State was clear that this was a principled, competent man and when the time came, elevated him.
Dr. Christopher Kolade, CON, Nigeria’s Former High-Commissioner to the UK, former Chief Executive and Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Pan-Atlantic University is that man who was incarcerated 17days for an offence he did not commit and that refused to sell out his colleagues but got elevated by the same regime in in due course, in recognition of his integrity and professionalism. I wonder what history would have said of him had he taken the path of expediency over principle as so many Nigerians today do by reflex? So, does integrity pay? Find out at the 6th Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity, taking place in Lagos tonight.
