“Corruption” is not in any way a strange word. Just like the air, it is everywhere but if you think it started few years back, then read this story that my mother told me.
About five to six decades ago, there used to be sanitation monitoring group in my mother’s village. Their mandate (though funny but paramount) is to check houses and their surroundings, kitchen and kitchenettes, rooms and apartments; they also have the power to inspect pots and its content. Food exposed unhealthily are thrown away and trampled upon. This helped them a lot in living healthy.
When she married my father, she had to relocate. The monitoring groups were there in our village as expected but with different motive. When they come for what was supposed to be inspection, the men of the village will contribute yam tubers, goat and some other farm produce. The women on their part will see to their hospitality. After all, they will go without doing anything near their mission of upholding cleanness and healthy living.
Now we know from this ‘true life story’ that corruption is an age long habit! It is now up to us to fight it, with all we could. Why should I want to stop what have been in existence even before my great grandfather?
But for corruption, why will a small child expect that you leave the change that he/she got after buying all you sent him/her? A teenage girl felt cheated and complained “they did not even help us” when I asked her how her exam was. It means she expected to be helped normally –imagine! What will you say of a contractor who bought material at lower rate compared to what was shown in his quotation. Not because of his bargaining power but because the materials are substandard after considering the amount he had spent lobbying for the contract. How has all these concern me?
For a very long time, we had longed for credible leaders. We all want good living conditions, isn’t it? But is that what we get? We will continue wishing that we have better leaders and trustworthy followers if we do not start the process ourselves. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said “…I am the most difficult person with whom I have worked”. Honestly work on yourself and let me do the same. How?
Start with common but avoidable corrupt practices. You do not need tell lie to cover up your shortcoming after all, why should wait till you start exam before you ask your friend that question? You can give that applicant the job without asking for anything in return. Must you break traffic rules to meet up an appointment? Don’t you think others have the same thought with you “they cannot come so early, why should I be the one waiting for everyone else?” Yes it is true that your income is nothing to write home about, but you accepted it and so have to do what you are paid for with your entire mind even if no one appreciates.
If you do not know, I am privileged to tell you that the Pacific Ocean is made up of tiny droplets of water. Why not do your bit and let me do mine. I promise you will be amazed by the result.
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