In the history of human existence on earth, various nations have been known to bleed and groan in pains and frustrations. Such sad conditions have always been attributed to definite patterns of development, leadership and inward state of the masses. Whether we look at human history from the angle of religion or secularism, the records and verdicts are clear and glaring that men decay when the lust for wealth and power becomes unbridled. Unbridled lust for unearned wealth and control of power also follows some recognisable patterns, whose ultimate results culminate in such a nation dripping with blood — banditry, terrorism, wars etc.
A military leader of this country once admitted that forces of darkness and light are at war in Nigeria, while a non-military President made a statement in public whose implied meaning is ominous: “If you cannot beat them, join them”. While politics may be a game of pursuing interests and mobilising mass support, the ultimate goals and intents of such interests can take the forms of some hidden agenda. An ancient pattern of building up of a power structure always devolved around the creation of cult and ritual affairs. From the class of priests, monarchs and secular leaders; cults, secrecy and ritual affairs always featured, largely for the purposes of exclusiveness and creating awe and fear in the minds of the masses. Some rulers even claimed having connection with divinity. Naked Gods!
Men and nations  decay fast where some rabble groups obsessed with the lust for wealth and power, succeed in dragging down as many unsuspecting people as they can into their “mystery cults”, usually as mere messengers and foot soldiers. The common weapons used by the high-priests and agents of dark forces trying to pull down those aspiring towards nobility, include wealth, power and secrecy, etc. For purposes of successful expansion; intimidation, coercison, agonies, poverty, corruption, mendacity and hypocrisy, are applied as features of the power game.
The fall and decay of ancient Egypt followed the pattern of cult phenomenon, featuring hypocritical magical powers, deception of the masses, sacrificial rites and ribald orgies intended to mystify the masses. Wherever power and mystery cults dominate political administration of a nation, there would always emerge a division between those taking sides with dark forces and those striving painfully to stay away from such dark forces. The prevailing situation in Nigeria currently is that every sector of the society and activity is dominated by gangsters and hypocrites who can hardly be dislodged from the positions they or their agents occupy.
How did we get here? Many Nigerians would ask. The process of decay usually follows the pattern of derailment whose most vulnerable point is the human brain. The brain gets crippled when there is absence or loss of the feeling of shame, arising from several factors which usually include taking side with or sliding into dark forces. Modern electronic devices as well as giving in when temptations assail individuals, contribute towards possible crippling of the human brain. This drift can continue and get worse with increasing licence. Human robots!
One of the woes of wars is the possible slide into the vortex of dark forces. During the Nigerian Civil War, it was obvious that some soldiers and other groups drank human blood, ate human flesh, fed captured persons with food prepared with human excrement and flesh and did several unspeakable things. Many people also entered into unholy alliances with dark forces for various purposes. 52 years after that unfortunate civil war, and with little change for the better, there is no way Nigeria cannot be described as a nation dripping with blood. Blood avenges and revenges.
Human blood has a close relationship with human spirit and thus, an abuse of the blood is an abuse of the sanctity of the spirit. Bloodshed for whatever reason, is a gross abuse. Abuse and poisoning of the blood can also arise from what and how we eat, the kinds of fluid taken into the body, what and how we think habitually, as well as the nature of the environment we live in. Since what we do arises largely from what and how we think, it follows that the quality of human activity is a testimony of the quality of the human blood. Blood chemistry is principally the nature of the quality of the radiation of the blood, which is a spiritual affair.
Any society where grossness, meanness and the lust for wealth and power predominate, there we find a testimony of the quality of the inner status of a majority of the people. Similarly, leadership and the quality of political practices in such environment would manifest in the quality and standard of living of a majority of the people. A stable and just society does not come by accident, but usually the result of a healthy political economy, which testifies to the quality of leadership.
One David Schwartz introduced us to a unique predominant world economy whereby less than 20per cent of the population control and enjoy more than 80 per cent of the wealth of a nation, while more than 80 per cent of the population are left to scramble over the remaining 20 per cent of the nations wealth. Such a lop-sided political economy surely breeds instability, gangsterism, corruption and all forms of sharp practices. In Nigeria currently financial crimes have reached a peak level, testifying to the level of decay of integrity. Phenomenon of internet fraud which has reached an alarming stage in Nigeria, is the result of a political economy which is sick and does not engender productivity. Blood drips!
Recently, Ibelema Jumbo, a recently retired staff of The Tide newspaper, was defrauded of a huge sum of money by fraudsters, who used my name to carry out their condemnable deed. Hitherto, Ibelema Jumbo who is a friend, was rarely convinced that he could be a victim of smart fraudsters who prey on naïve and gullible persons. The Nigerian situation is worse because of the total loss of confidence in the system which represents a loss of hope and confidence in the integrity of the nation and its people. Same internet fraudsters hacked into my account with Amazon on-line Books. Who is safe?
There is a strong need for Nigerian authorities and leaders in all sectors to check the increasing decay in the society which manifests in the corrupt, fraudulent and sharp practices that we find daily, everywhere. The process of social decay does not come by accident but results from situations where arbitrariness and gross impunity reign supreme; where wrongs are glossed over and not punished adequately. Recovered loots can be relooted and convicts called honourable men where cult groups hold sway.

By: Bright Amirize

Dr Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.