Sunday 20 May 2012

NDI-OKEREKE: THE ROLEX WRIST WATCH DRAMA




How embarrassing can it get, Rolex wrist watches another tool for corruption as we have seen and heard so far. If the so called prof. Ndi-okereke knew the implications of her behavior while at the while at the Nigerian stock exchange according to the nation’s editorial may 15th “she would bury her head in shame”.
This is Nigeria where even those whom we know to be corrupt still carry themselves as leaders and elder statesmen. So Ndi okereke cannot be an exception. She is truly behaving the proper Nigerian way, knowing full well that she would get away with it. Irrespective of whatever we say or know about this Rolex wrist watch drama.
Just because of the bad decision and conduct of some in the helms of affairs in Wall Street leading to the failures and financial losses in corporate America, many want to jail. For me that is a society that would not joke with the hard earned money of the American people. That is one big lesson for us here on this part of the world……….
The fundamental strength of the Nigerian stock exchange is largely built on the confidence and trust of the investing Nigerian public and with madam Ndi-okereke making such unguarded statement; she further diminishes that trust repose on the stock exchange by the Nigerian public. Such mannerism is really uncalled for, especially in a country like ours that wants to make herself an investment destination for both foreign and local investors.
Many may not see the immediate effect of the okereke Rolex drama but in the long run when the NSE wants to boost her image and increase the worthiness of the financial market then we would understand that this little episode means more than what it seems.
 If what they are telling us is true, one would ask, why spend such money (189million) on such luxury just for some awardees? That act in itself is corruption inducing because objectivity and due process may be thrown to the wind when next transactions occur between both parties. This to a large extent is what is responsible for the failures and losses witness in recent times in the Nigerian stock market.

Yekeme
Dept of philosophy
University of Lagos
yekeme4u@gmail.com

Friday 4 May 2012

ROLE OF JUSTICE IN SHAPING THE WORLD



Justice is one of the major concepts in political philosophy that still lacks a univocal definition, yet it is a vital ingredient for the survival of man as a social being.
Indeed, justice has shaped the world but the question is how has man come to see the true meaning of this conception. Many hold that it is as a result of the complexities attached to the social being of mankind makes the term increasingly intricate and difficult to pin down because of mans cultural variation and linguistic usage.
It is therefore the aim of this piece is to take a critical look at the nature of justice and the role it has played in turning society around and shaping the world for the better.
The survival of the human race is predicated on the template of justice. This is true because a critical examination of the hypothetical state of nature as espoused by philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke shows that if not the coming together of wise few who championed for the coming together of the rest in some kind of social contract, man would have long gone into extinction because in the state of nature, life was short, harsh and brutish. It was a dog eat dog world.
In their coming together, they set the pace for the emergence of a civil society regulated by concepts such as Law and justice which brings among others natural justice, socio economic justice e.t.c
Human civilization through the ages have had one form of justice or the other ingrained in its culture and mode of existence from the primitive stage of man to contemporary times of the rule of law.
It is justice that coordinates all what man has and will be, therefore justice is the panacea to mans and solutions to mans miseries in the context of human social evolution.
As a result of human rationalization, the codification of our laws aims to achieve this (justice). Hence man design constitutions charters, treaties e.t.c. Again how far has all these workings of man faired in the light of the challenges man is faced with in the 21st century? Could one say that justice is a live experience in these modern times?
 However placed the argument is, justice truly has shaped the world. It has affected human psyche so much   that even our daily activities is geared toward attaining it. The most fundamental of it all is that justice has separated man from beast. The essence of our civilization is because of our gradual understanding of justice and our future will be determined by how much justice truly affects human social intercourse. Therefore, international organizations (the U.N), regional bodies and national governments must take urgent steps towards spreading the message on justice as a way of preventing wars and help the future challenges that await man in her match towards greatness.

Yek keme
Dept of philosophy, University of Lagos
Yekeme4u@gmail.com. www.yekipedia.blogspot.com