CRIMINALITY SURGE - The inevitable fallout of replacing collectivism with individualism

Gone are the days when most people in our society were contented with little they have were few people possessed wealth and opulence, and a time when we sleep with our two eyes closed when we generally live in a communal state characterized by collectivism. Then we are our brother's keeper; when travelers are safe to journey in the night without any form of security threats, a time when meritocracy prevails over mediocrity, a period when criminals are not sympathized with, and when elderly people were highly respected and venerated. 

The situation is quite catastrophic currently with the substitution of collectivism with individualism. We are now dwelling in a society where everyone minds his business with no form of a collective check on the excesses of our people especially when it comes to criminal actions. I can vividly recall when we were juveniles generally few people had; cars, televisions, fridges, and generators children had fewer clothes bought during the festival period and eat the best dishes (rice and chicken) during the festive season or special events, yet we are not frustrated. Both day and night, the entrance and doors to the house of the rich are wildly often open to play and eat together with their children and the rich also tolerate their children eating together in the less privileged homes and vice verse. 

Children always troop into the room of anyone who had a television whenever there's light to watch movies and listen to the news with no intimidation from anyone. In our community then we are always proud and happy if someone havhascar in our area because during any festival all children in that community will go to the praying ground with that car. No one is under a burden to amass what they couldn't afford just to oppress others. Society has a culture of contentment though people strive to improve their living conditions within their means. Owing to the contentment and collectivism then the crime rate was very low because the notion of 'i-must-make-it-anyhow' which havhasvaged our societies today isn't the order of the day then.   

Pathetically, our society of today has been polarized and characterized by social class disparity anchored on economic buoyancy where those who are rich don't tolerate the less privileged, thus, the relationship only exists if the poor are ready to kowtow to the dictate of the rich to advance their oppression.  Youths comcommitime including; kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, rape, internet fraud, money ritual an,d alcalcoholismrely because they want to wear a desdesigneruy latthe est iPhones an,d party with open Street girls. Sadly, many members of our society today are abetting this aberration and terror demonizing our communities of which the parents, guidance, religious clerics, and even the bad eggs within our security personnel and government officials are not left out.  

The rise in the rate of internet fraud known as yahoo-yahoo and kidnapping is one of the major carnage across our communities today but all our hands are at akimbo as if what's happening is normal in our communities today even though we are all aware the (yahoo-yahoo guys) engage in human parts harvesting for money rituals. Many of the young men on our streets today are into drug abuse, cultism, and alcoholism which have to continue to pose a severe threat to the peace and security of our communities. Thus, increasing the crime rate. Our parents known to be a model before had soiled their integrity and never care to know the source of the wealth of their children currently. Alas, we now have (a yahoo-yahoo mother association) organized to support their children who are into cybercrime and internet fraud spiritually. Let alone, ladies now freely engage in advanced prostitution (hookups) just to compete and oppress others. 

The schools and institutions known to be an avenue for character modeling before are nothing to write about today people only attend school for an academic accomplishment only devoid of character. Stealing and misappropriation of the public commonwealth by those occupying public offices including politicians and civil servants is now a culture. Regrettably, the court system and the judiciary are now blemished with conspiracies and marred with corruption. The supposed last hope of the masses has become the fortress for the rich where the highest bidder gets the desired judgment.

How did our esteem values and norms got substituted, and why is criminality on the rise despite our religion and high level of education? I believe it's already too late to continue to point fingers at colonialism, globalization, or westernization as our problem currently. But the main issue is, our values and norms as been neglected, hence this dilemma and nightmares befall us. As a Yoruba aphorism says "if you knew not where you're heading to, you should know where you are coming from" Revival of our culture; norms,d values is very pertinent now to arrest and stem this risen criminality in our society.

IRANLOYE SOFIU TAIYE.

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