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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Hardship Is No Excuse for Stealing — Okey Bakassi

From The Punch · (3h ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Comedian and traditional ruler Okey Bakassi condemned stealing, stating that hardship is not a justification for crime.
  • He emphasized that individuals should utilize existing governmental channels to voice grievances and seek help instead of resorting to theft.
  • Bakassi also asserted that traditional leadership does not necessitate detachment from community life, stressing the importance of staying engaged and relevant.

Okey Bakassi, known for his comedic talents and his role as a traditional ruler in Imo State, has firmly denounced stealing, asserting that difficult circumstances do not excuse criminal behavior. His stance comes in the wake of personal experiences where he and friends fell victim to theft during a football match, highlighting a pervasive issue within the community.

Difficulties are real, but they do not justify stealing. We all have a responsibility to behave properly, regardless of circumstances.

— Okey BakassiCondemning theft and emphasizing personal responsibility.

Bakassi stressed the importance of responsible conduct, regardless of hardship. He pointed to the existing structures within Nigeria, including representatives in the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and the Senate, as channels through which citizens can seek assistance. He questioned the extent to which people actively engage these systems, suggesting that resorting to crime bypasses legitimate avenues for redress. 'The real question is, how many people actually make the effort to engage these systems?' he pondered, underscoring the need for greater civic participation.

If people are truly facing hardship, there are channels to seek help and make their voices heard. The real question is, how many people actually make the effort to engage these systems?

— Okey BakassiHighlighting the importance of utilizing existing governmental structures for assistance.

Addressing perceptions of traditional rulers, Bakassi refuted the notion that leadership requires isolation. He argued that many traditional rulers maintain connections to their communities and that leadership is a continuous engagement, not a withdrawal from reality. His perspective emphasizes that staying active, aware, and relevant is crucial for effective leadership, challenging the stereotype of distant, detached monarchs. The incident, where multiple phones were stolen at an event, underscores Bakassi's call for both personal responsibility and effective engagement with societal structures.

People tend to have a fixed perception of traditional rulers as distant or completely removed from everyday realities, but that is not always the case. Many of us come from backgrounds where our families have served in different capacities. Becoming a traditional ruler does not mean you stop living or engaging with society.

— Okey BakassiRefuting the idea that traditional rulers should be isolated from everyday life.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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