The current discourse going on in the country will make your stomach curl. The scandals, the allegations, the arrogance and the sheer impunity with which our Federal Lawmakers rub in their omnipotence brings nothing but sheer raw anger, bitterness and helplessness to everyone by and large.

Interestingly, while we may think its just up there, that sheer impunity has spread to all cadres of the society without fear nor favor.

Find it hard to believe, let’s start with the ordinary citizen, who drives on a regular traffic day in Lagos, Nigeria. Before you bat an eyelid, you will see a brazen driver driving against traffic! Oh bother, its a regular occurrence… its called breaking the law with impunity, with the active connivance of the passengers in the vehicle, and that’s aiding and abetting and also an offence according to the constitution of the “un-Federal” apologies, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Tricycle riders have turned themselves to fiends on the road with a boldness even the Lion will not dare in the wild. They not only constitute a nuisance on the road, they create a third lane on a two lane road, apologies, they re-create routes and lanes on two lane roads that baffles imagination! Not only that, wise vehicle owners move to the middle of the road while driving almost driving into the vehicle on the left all in a bid to create room on the right for the fiends on the road and avoid getting “stretch-marks” on their vehicles. My vehicle is a witness, and have since been hesitant to repaint the vehicle. Not only that, have you seen them ride in traffic, facing on coming vehicles and cutting you off abruptly? The truth is, these fiends are pushing impunity to the limits in a country where there is law and order!

The traffic code says pedestrians should walk facing traffic, use the zebra crossing, not to cross the road when the traffic light is on green, not to where dark clothing at night but a very visible cloth so as to be seen easily, and so much more. Sorry, what is the traffic code? Where is that found? Common! “This na Naija!” Truthfully it is, where the pedestrian backs traffic and expects the driver to make way for him or veer off the road or into the opposite traffic. Where the driver is “supposed” to wait for him when he is on green and driving off! My God!! Its called impunity, joking with a limb!! Several are at Igbobi Hospital, UCH Ibadan, and etc, etc.

You see a motorcycle, and the rider cuts into your blind side or cuts you off suddenly in traffic (yeah they do it too) and the passenger starts blaming you for not looking at where you are going or worse hurls insults at you when you “dey on your lane jeje”. What do you make of it? Yeah you right, ignorance bothering on impunity. Sad.

You see, these are regular day to day people you encounter on the road. And this does not include yet, the developer that empties a truck load of sand/gravel in the middle of a residential street. The bar blaring loud music into the environment, the church with a massive megaphone blasting into the night or early in the morning, the market and roadside traders, that block the road in a bid to sell and make ends meet, the Landlord that actually wants to lord over your live, the boss that wants to work you nuts. The list is endless, you can add yours.

If ordinary citizens are doing this and much worse off, what do we have to say to law enforcers, lets leave the law makers alone for now, they are “dis-honorable” honorable who have “impunity”, (my system is misbehaving) sorry immunity from been criticized and examined.

Our Law enforcers are actually Law “dis-enforcers” with impunity. Please note, i didn’t mention names of the Nigerian Police and what have you. You see this gentlemen in black, or is it blue and black act with so much reckless abandon that you wonder ……….. In fairness to them, they do their best, but the best is not enough. Its like a using a dish cleaner to mop up a room full of water. Oh bother, the best of our men are doing body guards to the “wrung” of the society, (need a brand new laptop) sorry the “high” and “mighty” in the society. Hence for every 200 citizen emergency calls that require, as an example 200 fine men attending to it. We have 50 worn out men attending to it while the remaining 150 are busy forming brigade of guards to 5 “questionable” characters who have the dole to throw about. Impunity upon impunity, all is impunity, impunity!! (borrowing from Daddy Ebenezer Obey’s vanity upon Vanity song).

As you can see, the problem is not our Lawmakers nor the Executive nor the Judiciary, the problem is you and i. We allowing impunity to run shod over us and “suffering and smiling” in the words of the Late Anikulapo-Kuti.

We are so dumb, we allowed a Legislature to pass a Pension bill for an Executive, who after 4 or 8 years of service, retires to billions in gratuity, gets 6 cars every 4 years, gets to have two houses built for him in a choice location in Lagos and Abuja yet, people have served and worked their fingers to the bone for 35 years and retire to what?

Or what do we have to say, when the roll call to be counted is made and we are found wanting and we allow men of questionable character to head to hallowed chambers of authority and make despicable allocations and allowances for themselves and feed fat on our sweat and yet, make no single legislation that will impact positively across generations yet unborn. Highest paid National Assembly with nothing to show for it in lawmaking and people welfare. But truthfully, there is something to show, IMPUNITY!! Actual salary earned UNKNOWN, perks of office, ABUNDANCE. Lets hold it there.

“I am the Governor! I know what am doing!” A round of applause for his Excellency, the Governor, sorry the impudent jerk who knows next to nothing but the perks of office! When you were contesting, you knew the in roads to my loo. Now that you are the Governor, i must bow, sorry grovel in the dust before you fulfill your electoral promise (which in the real sense, ought to be given in a sane society). I must quit the road when you are coming least i be hounded off by your goons. All of sudden, i loose relevance until another 4 years when election comes knocking. Impunity upon impunity!!!

And we wonder why our country is not moving forward? Other countries are moving forward, but we, dancing to the beat of impunity and worshiping it like our only savior.

Am so angry and incensed. I think i need to take a break before i start writing with impunity!!!