The Cambridge Advanced Learner?s Dictionary offers three different definitions of rape against which the current situations in Nigeria could be considered.
First, it defines rape as the crime of forcefully having sex with someone against the person?s wish. Despite the stigma attached to this sexual crime which has resulted in under-reporting of incidents, a recent study indicates that the rate of the crime has gone up from 12.5% to 80% in Nigeria.
There are several cases which are very irritating. Now and then, it is reported that a teacher has raped a student. A religious leader has raped his flock. Robbers have raped a victim. A man has raped a sister-in-law or daughter-in-law. A master has raped a house maid. A security man has raped his master?s wife. A boss has raped his staff. A father has raped his daughter. A young man has raped a grandmother. A minor has raped a fellow minor. A traditional ruler has raped a subject. An 80-year-old man recently raped an 8-year-old girl. What is really happening?
One unfortunate thing about the crime of rape is that cultural constraints and other factors in this clime all work against female victims and restrains them from reporting the incident when it occurs. Besides, the Nigerian constitution needs to make it less hard to prove an allegation of rape. In other words, the rape laws of Nigeria need to be rewritten to match contemporary realities.
There is also need for adequate sex education. Sexual lust is a thing of the mind and when the human mind is being fed with pornographic pictures and materials all the time, there is a tendency to get desperately lustful and commit this heinous crime. Therefore, it is important for people to begin to guard their thoughts as instructed by the holy books.
The second definition of rape according to the same dictionary is ?destruction of the natural world, often for profit.? Day after day, the natural world of the nation called Nigeria is being destroyed for the benefit of a few people in its leadership. This explains why the nation was recently ranked as the 35th?most corrupt nation in the world by the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International.
Over the years, the nation?s natural and financial resources have been destroyed, mismanaged, looted and in some instances, laundered by those privileged to be in the corridors of power. For example, according to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, over N40 billion was laundered out of Nigeria between January and August 2012.
The destruction or rape of the university system is equally on-going. Apart from the fact that the federal character principle is making it difficult to recruit fresh quality PHD holders as lecturers at various tertiary institutions, Professors are constantly retiring without replacements because comprehensive academic research activities are no longer being sponsored and conducted.
On a regular basis, Nigeria?s human resource nucleus is being destroyed as quality medical doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professionals are continuously relocating from the country as a result of unfavourable conditions of the environment for their existence and professional practise. The quality of graduates produced by the tertiary institutions are getting more watery by the day while many innocent workers are dying from criminal attacks such as terrorist bombing, armed robbery and assassination.
The correct value system of the citizenry has been destroyed by corrupt leaders. The media is always awash with reports of reckless looting of public funds by those occupying public offices and the situation has negatively influenced those that are yet to do so. Today, those appointed into public offices programme their minds to steal public funds even before receiving their appointment letters. The situation is so bad that even a Nigerian child no longer goes on an errand without expecting monetary gratification from the source of the errand. Where are the values of integrity handed down to today?s crop of Nigerians by the nation?s forefathers? Those values have been destroyed.
Insecurity is on the rise and foreign investors are leaving the country as people die unnecessarily on daily basis. Even a blind man knows that Nigeria his being destroyed. The country is being raped and is seriously bleeding. The punishment for rape in the 1999 constitution should be extended to the incumbent and past leaders of Nigeria who have participated in gang-raping the nation and its poor innocent masses with the organ of corruption.
The third meaning of rape which is ?a plant with yellow flowers from which oil and animal food are produced? is not relevant to this write-up.
ALBINUS CHIEDU
CEO, OUTPUT COMMUNICATIONS
29, ADENIYI JONES AVENUE
IKEJA, LAGOS
