FEATURE ARTICLE

Fr Pat Amobi ChukwumaTuesday, July 7, 2015
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MONEY DRIVE

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onders shall never end. The other day I was driving along the Lokoja - Abuja expressway. I was moving on moderate velocity as the Gospel music in the music department of my car was sounding in consonant with the gentle breeze coming from without. Suddenly, I saw a vision. To avoid doubt I cleared my two eyes with my left hand as my right controls the wheels. To be more certain that my vision was not blurred by the mixture of rice, beans, fried plantain and 'kanda' meat that I descended upon at a hotel in Lokoja, I wound down my car's glass. What did I see? A luxurious jeep overtook my car with a ghost speed. In fact, the luxurious jeep was flying on the land. The retina of my eyes focused on the driver of that jeep. The identity of the driver was shrouded in mystery. This made me to drive with a higher velocity so as to draw closer to the flying jeep. My mouth remained wide apart as I discovered the identity of the driver. Money was behind the steering of the flying jeep. I exclaimed, "So, money can drive? When did money attend driving school?" I concluded that as an untrained driver, money will surely miss road.

Psychologically speaking, drive is the inner force that propels us to do something. There are three basic drives, namely hunger drive, thirst drive and sex drive. These drives can intoxicate, if care is not taken. Hunger is good if well channeled. Some people have food but they lack hunger. Some are hungry but have no food to eat. Others are hungry and also have food to eat. Uncontrolled hunger has led people to reap where they did not sow. A hungry man is an angry man. Have you seen the face of an angry and hungry man? How would the face of one Nigerian former president look like if he is hungry and angry?

To avoid dehydration, we need to drink a lot of liquids, especially water. Drinking a gallon of water per day is very healthy. I tried to drink two gallons recently. When the container inside my stomach was full, the water started leaking from every possible hole in my body. Not long ago, a two storey building full of occupants collapsed somewhere, one of the trapped victims was rescued after spending one week under the debris. He survived by drinking his urine. So, in case of emergency, drink your personal urine. If you drink someone's own, you may import foreign diseases into your body system. Some even say that the early morning urine is medicinal. Is urine not a waste product? Be careful before waste wastes you.

Sex drive is the natural desire for the opposite sex. This propels a man and a woman to get into marriage for the purposes of helpmate, companionship, procreation and education of children. However, this drive has been abused in many ways by both married and unmarried people. If self control is not practiced, sex drive can drive one into untold trouble.

Money drive seems to overshadow the above three drives because money can now buy food, drink and even sex. Initially, the means of exchange was trade by Barter, whereby one exchanged one commodity for the other. It was very burdensome. As time went on, the use of money in paper or coins was introduced to make the means of exchange better, lighter and valuable. The use of money makes transaction more efficient. Money is good but it can also cause nuisance when pursued inordinately.

The Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evils and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith and so given their souls any number of fatal wounds"(1 Tim. 6:10). Some make it their god. There was a certain rich man who loved money above all things. One day he came home with hundred million naira in new N1000 denomination. He knelt down before the money and hugged it. Further he kissed the money saying, "I love you pass my life. Please let me not miss you for a second." That night he slept on top of the money. In his sleep that night he dreamed about the pleasures of money. He saw himself receiving five billion naira award in cash from the President of the Federal Republic of Vanity. As he began to dance for joy, he woke up from sleep because his wife entered the room banging the door. The wife asked him to lie down and sleep since it was only midnight. The spirit of transferred aggression pushed him to slap his wife at that hour of the night for waking him up, thereby preventing him from receiving the N5 million. The rich man sighed and was confused on what next to do. Can he go back to sleep and receive the bulk money? Angrily he laid himself flat on the bed, but sleep eluded him, for he was restless. A wealthy man died somewhere. As his corpse was being lowered into the grave, a deadly voice came out of his coffin shouting, "My money! My money!! The undertakers abandoned everything and took to their heels. The weeping widow, her children and all sympathizers also ran away. Then vultures landed immediately and buried the man in their stomachs.

Money drive can keep one restless. If you keep a reasonable amount of money in the house, sleep may elude you at night. Whenever you hear noise, fear of men of the underworld will shrink your heart. Our country Nigeria has been restless because our leaders embezzle public fund at the detriment of the poor masses. Monkey works while Baboon eats (Monkey dey work; baboon dey chop). The huge bulk of money stolen by the late General Sani Abacha known as Abacha loot is still ringing bell all over the world. I pray that God could allow Abacha one hour to come back from the world beyond to tell Nigerians all the banks worldwide where he kept our Naira. Some of our past leaders are also guilty. Most of them are still alive. Should they not be arrested to swear and to confess? Happily, the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to recover all money looted by past Administrations. Their wives and girl friends must also be brought to book, because behind every successful looter is a woman. Surely, Buhari will probe his past military regime and his handling of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

After much deliberation, I came to the conclusion that money is the motive behind the leadership ambition of most of our politicians. During campaigns they promise us heaven and earth. When they ascend their thrones, the quest to acquire money for selfish gratification blinds their visions. A political analyst said that once our politicians settle in Abuja, they cut themselves off from their constituencies. Their private pockets become their constituencies. It is a pitiful pity.

The National Lawmakers in the Upper and Lower Chambers were elected to make laws for the good of all Nigerians. But the inordinate money drive to loot the Treasury blindfolds them. No wonder they fight over leadership positions in both Houses. Few days ago our elected and imposed lawmakers in the House of Representative made a show of shame before the world. I shed tears and covered my face with blanket as those lawmakers exchanged blows on the floor of the House on Thursday 24 June 2015. I propose that this very day should be observed in Nigeria as a public holiday, whereby Nigerians are free to fight (Fighting Day). Anyone wishing to go to the Senate or House of Representative must learn boxing and karate. Corruption was really behind the scene prompting the fight. The fight among the Lawmakers in the House reached a crescendo when they started struggling to snatch the Mace, which is the Authority of Leadership. Once the mace disappears, the house will disband. Anarchy will reign. One of the lawmakers (or war-makers) had his attire torn badly during the fiasco. When he arrived home half naked, his wife and children ran away, thinking that he has run mad. Another lawmaker who played active role in the fight came home that day with his nose bleeding. His little daughter sadly said, "Daddy, you told us that fighting is not good, but I saw you in the television today fighting in the green house. Our Anti said that those who fight will go to hell." The father foolishly looked at her and walked shamefully to the tap to wash his bleeding nose.

Analysts opine that when President Buhari starts his anti-corruption drive, the corrupt Nigerians causing confusion in the polity will die a natural death. Indeed we are yet to see the miraculous change promised us by All Progressives Congress during their campaign. Their bundle of brooms is destined to sweep away corruption, power epilepsy, unemployment, insurgency, hunger, anger, et cetera. Unfortunately, the broom is disintegrating. The bundle is scattering like feathers. It is not a wonder because APC is a conglomeration of seven parties. Each entity is now fighting for her identity. The driver of APC bus is faced with thunder, storm and flood. When earthquake breaks, the promised change will be a mirage.

Money, please slow down and drive with care. Life has no duplicate. Many have gone!

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