By Promise Adiele
Scam is a global phenomenon which has become prominent in the 21st century. Its awareness across the world has been perpetuated by the destabilizing effects of extreme capitalism with its twin matrix of exploitation. As the world gradually tilts towards recession, survival becomes a major challenge confronting millions of people. While many have embraced hard work and multitasking as a direct response to recession, many have embraced scam and other mendacious means to stay afloat in the shark-infested ocean of an emasculating world.
Scam pervades every stratum of the world including the individual and collective consciousness of people. In some regions, the act of scam attracts severe punishment ranging from forfeiture of the proceeds to various terms in jail and outright ostracizing of the individual involved. In some other regions, scam attracts capital punishment in the same way drug peddling or armed robbery does.
Yet in other regions, perpetrators of scam are celebrated, they can win elections and even be bestowed with major national honours and chieftaincy titles. However, with the general awareness of scam, its understanding and interpretation have become multiple so that scam means different things to different people. Some individuals thrive on scam, some public institutions, banks and corporate entities thrive on scam, and some nations cannot exist if the scam element is removed. The army, the police, the customs in different countries, the political class, the economy, the banks, churches and even some marriages are built and established on a structure of putrefying scam so that it has become a subliminally excused phenomenon within humanity. Yet, everyone uses every opportunity to pontificate and condemn the phenomenon of scam. In a world daily convulsed by inexplicable odium, anomalies and abominable acts like same sex marriage, ritual murder for wealth, suicide killings and sodomy, scam has made a case for itself to be included in the mix and there is a growing concern that very soon, there will be efforts across the world to legislate on the legality of scam underlined by the maxim: “survival of the fittest.”
To Africans, scam easily recounts the exploitation and mindless pillaging of their resources during the colonial era by the Europeans. While Africa was exploited, the proceeds were used to develop the sophistication of foreign metropolis and other institutions of capitalism. African oil, gold, bronze, coal and diamond were viciously appropriated by colonial masters to the development of their grand masterpiece.
To the frustrated and lonely American or European looking for love over the internet, scam is when money is sent several thousand miles away to a youth hiding under the cover of cyberspace with a false identity. To the electorate, scam is when elections are rigged and an unpopular candidate emerges as a winner only to assume office to plunder, subjugate and impoverish the people. To the market woman, scam is when the garri, beans or rice vendor manipulates her instrument of measurement to sell a smaller quantity of her goods while collecting money for a bigger quantity. To the housewife, scam is when a husband earns so much and brings very little home while spending the rest on diverse frivolities, women and alcohol. To the husband, scam is when the amount of money given to the wife for upkeep does not reflect in the quality of food and general welfare of the home. To the motorist, scam is when petrol stations manipulate their fuel meters so that the quantity of fuel you pay for is far less than the quantity pumped into your vehicle. To the church goers and victims of religious misadventure, scam is the weekly indoctrination of the gullible to part with money in forms of tithes and offerings in exchange for miracles and breakthroughs. The list of scam and its various undercurrents is inexhaustible. However, let us turn to a more direct approach to scam in the Nigerian environment.
Although western media have on several occasions insinuated that Nigeria is the scam capital of the world, every country has its own scam coloration, including US, UK, France, Germany, Japan and other global power centres.
However, the more fundamental scam in Nigeria is the economic structure and revenue allocation within the geo-political zones in the country. Given the almost criminal and wanton lopsided nature of the way resources are shared in this country, some people have strongly canvassed for restructuring as the only act that will put to bed the various agitations for secession and self determination. Let us, for the sake of clarity, have a peep into the figures and contents of Nigeria’s revenue allocation to determine the scam elements inherent in them.
Out of the 360 House of Representatives members, the entire South has 169 while the North has 191. The South-East has a total of 43 representatives. The South-South has a total of 53 representatives. The South-West has a total of 71 representatives. The North-West has a total of 92 representatives. The North-East has a total of 48 representatives. The North-Central has a total of 49 representatives. The FCT has 2 representatives.
In oil allocation in Nigeria, North-Central receives 20% and contributes 0.00%. North- East receives 16% and contributes 0.00%. North-West receives 21% and contributes 0.00%. South-West receives 16% and contributes 3.97%. South-East receives 11.00% and contributes 25.07%. South-South receives 15.00% and contributes 70.64%. In terms of Local Governments, Nigeria has 774 LGAs. The North has 19 States and the 19 states have 419 LGAs. The South has 17 States and the 17 states have 357 LGAs. The 419 LGAs of the 19 states in the North receive 54.9% and contribute 0.00%. The LGAs of the 17 Southern States receive 45.1% and contribute 100%.
Now, it is imperative for us to fully understand the meaning of scam and its scientific configuration in Nigeria. Can these various acts of scam be corrected and redressed or are they permanently inscribed on our national ethos without any hope of addressing the malady? Is it fair to natural justice and the spirit of equity for Nigerians to continue to live under the shadow of this executive scam? Time shall tell.
Adiele writes from Department of English, University of Lagos.