WHY DO THE MEASURE WE ACCORD TO CRITICISM & APPRECIATION OF GOOD & BAD DEEDS DIFFER GREATLY AS NIGERIANS?

WHY DO THE MEASURE WE ACCORD TO CRITICISM & APPRECIATION OF GOOD & BAD DEEDS DIFFER GREATLY AS NIGERIANS?

A sane society that want to re brand its perceived corrupt society must be ready to reward good deeds and make people that are still finding it difficult to have a good moral conduct see that the reward does not start when you go to heaven, that it starts from earth. Show me a man or woman that did an almost unimaginable good deed in Nigeria and I will conclude that his or her deed must have gone unnoticed and unannounced in the closest neighbourhood or any social media platform.

The case is different when a Nigerian has done a bad deed, perhaps he picked up a phone and didn't give the owner but eloped with it, if caught, various social media platform will be awash with the latest news of how a robber was caught, beaten to pulp, and almost burnt but was saved by the whisker when the law enforcers where passing by. We are quick to criticize bad deeds done – though when we are in that situation some of us would even do worse – but hardly do we tell of people’s good deed (no wonder the world over thinks all Nigerians are fraudsters because it’s only the news of someone that has done a bad deed that we all want to hear and propagate likewise)

Only recently this month a lady paid a huge sum of money into my Stanbic IBTC bank account, I already knew it must have been a mistake, I was waiting for the bank to do a call back and debit my account, while waiting for days, I showed it to some Neighbours, it was only one person that made sense, majority made it look like ‘God works in mysterious ways’ ‘he has picked up your call’. This same people will come on line when someone commit a bad deed and will be the first to throw a stone.

 The third day I went to the bank and the branch in Umuahia, Abia state, Nigeria that did the transaction, was called by the bank and the necessary reconciliation was done (I can get the bank to testify for doubting Thomas’), I didn't speak with the lady and we may never even cross paths, notwithstanding that I spent my money on transport because I needed to get all the details of the current account since I have abandoned it for a while coupled with the suspicious treatment that I was given by the lady who was in the customer care unit just for asking for the ladies detail when I couldn't remember my account number, neither did she want to help me search for my account detail even though I told her I wanted to return what’s not mine, I had to return to the bank severally.

This is not my first time returning what’s not mine, not the second or third time and won’t be my last time, but I have been doing deeds like this as a Nigerian and I asked myself that I am sure the world over would have heard my story and the story of other Nigerians if a different scenario played out - if I had withdrawn the money and spent all or part. What do we do to make people believe in doing good deeds, its either you are told a very silent thank you and your friends ask you that do you have a secret wish to remain poor.

We need to extol people that do-good deeds in Nigeria more than the way and energy we accord to criticizing and giving jungle justice – which has not changed the moral decadence in our society. You are guilty if you won’t tell your closest neighbour of someone that refunded your money when you overpaid, but will shout to the loudest voice when he steals your phone. It shouldn't always end with a thank you, tell someone, post it on social media, if it’s a big firm give the person an award. I propose that they should be a body that can give award of this kind may be patriotic Nigerian award – people can send good deeds people have done to them and they are awarded, this can upturn the situation in Nigeria and people will find more reason to do good, though doing good should come natural.

The police must also stop treating people that have picked up people that are involved in accident and died on their hand may be on transit as prime suspect, this has not helped the situation in Nigeria. This is the change I am clamouring for.

A country that want to stop corruption, bad morals and crime must not only have an ignominious or severe punishment for wrong doers but also a greater reward for does who have shown their self-worth by doing an unimaginable good deed, this way people will be obliged to get a reward rather than get severely punished. The same way you will publicly announce the bad deed of someone should also be the same way a person good deed is announced.

What do you ladies and guys think?