By Prof Nathan Protus Uzorma
The peace of mind a man never had is the reason he is awake at night. The fear for nothing is the lion that haunts the rich when rest is the dream of the simple.
The above reflects the paradox of an individual whose consciousness is bewildered, befuddled and bemused by uncertainty which he is responsible for; I shall continue to speak out until the right thing is done. God created man and made him the judge of his action through his conscience. Man’s conscience therefore is a pointer to the right or wrong of his actions. This however brings us to the science of Ethics which seeks to study and to evaluate human conduct.
It deals with questions of Right or wrong, good and bad. It however considers man’s obligation and what ought to be done. Ethical science seeks to examine conduct, and to deliberate or correct modes of conduct. Down the centuries, men have speculated about what constitutes “the good life”. The Greek great philosopher Socrates maintained that education is the secret of virtue for which knowledge is virtue. The Epicureans, on the other hand, regarded the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain as the only worthwhile aim in life.
The fact that people use the same word, but understand it differently directly leads to great confusion. Yes, man has spent a lot time in knowing his rights; all over the 36 states of the federation emphasis is made in all our Medias on the education of human right. Nigerians are engulfed in knowing their constitutional rights; no emphasis is made on how to know of someone’s wrongs. One may argue that one’s knowledge of his/her right gives him/her the leeway in understanding his wrongs, which is true, but not in all cases.
Man is a unique creature possessing higher powers than any animal. His conduct is controlled by thoughts and emotions, by desires and intentions. His actions become the subject of his own and other men’s criticism. These actions may be judged good or bad, praiseworthy or blameworthy, right or wrong; in the light of these facts of his nature he is termed a moral being. Now, the early Greeks considered conscience as the reaction of man’s own nature against any violation of what he considered good or right. Later the Greek philosophers saw conscience as a power of mind which pointed to the highest good or as faculty in man which should rule within him. Some scholars link conscience with the intellect. The advocates of this view like Immanuel Kant in his “Practical Reason” or Butler’s Supreme Cognitive Authority….” Make conscience entirely a matter of knowing or of human reason. To Kant and Butler, given knowledge of what is right, a man will reason things out and conscience will point to the right course in any particular circumstance.
It becomes obvious here that following the reality of rights and wrongs, man’s moral standard on which man’s conscience has to work is very important. If man’s standard is wrong it is a virtual certainty that his conduct will also be wrong. If his conscience does not point to the fact that his action is wrong, it means that his conscience is dead. I may not dedicate this article to educating my reader on how ones conscience could be dead but let it be known to all my readers here that when ones conscience is dead, the person’s actions tilt towards the wrong direction.
I have refused to listen to the voice of the wicked ruler whose intention is to impoverish the poor masses. Yes, I have since 2010 when Gov. Rochas declared his intention to run for the governorship position of Imo state criticized his intention in view of what I know about his leadership styles. People rejoiced and supported him blindly to the extent that some people contributed their money to advance his course.
I did mention it then that Imo people must regret their support for Chief Rochas Okorocha. When he eventually won the election in 2011, people rejoiced thinking that the messiah has come to set the captive free. The rescue mission government of Chief Rochas started with lies, vindictiveness and manipulation. Some youths lost their jobs, homes were broken and few died as a result.
Following the above, I and other good spirited individuals started educating Imo people through constructive criticism which also invited several threat and other unspeakable experiences which is left for our conscience to justify. Our governor thinks he knows it all having surrendered himself with praise singers and those who cannot look at him to tell him the bitter truth. They have failed together with their political lord.
I have said so many things to Gov. Rochas through my numerous writings in order to enable him see the right view to political power, yet he has continued to behave the way he likes without recourse to several critic voices. The time has come for our governor to use his tongue to count the number of his teeth because we must talk more so he is dreaming of planting a stooge in 2019 to cover his ills. We must speak out!
Salvinho, the actor, put such intensity into his performances that sometimes he became tired. Once, when the audience was rather small, someone suggested that it wasn’t worth knocking himself out for so few people. “No my friend” replied the artist, “those few have paid their good money and I have a right to expect the best of me; besides, when I am acting, I forget this world and live my character”.
The above is the function of conscience. The artist knew that those (no matter how few they are) who came to watch him invested their hard earned money to come and so he must perform to their satisfaction no matter the number. The question is, how far has our noble governor felt in his conscience (if it is alive) seeing Imo civil servants perish in deep lack occasioned by the deductions he makes on monthly basis from the salaries of poor civil servants?
In the words of Juan Aries, “I am free when I accept the fact that my life should be ruled by conscience “, while Martin Luther jnr. infers “it is both hazardous and dishonorable for a man to act contrary to the dictates of conscience”. No brave man risks his conscience. And I ask again how has Gov. Rochas felt seeing the same people he called “Ndi Imomu” in 2015 after his victory languishing in pain, penury and sickness caused by his bad government? How does he feel? Where is Gov. Rochas progress and conscience? This situation was what made Albert Einstein to enthuse that “Real human progress depends upon a good conscience”.
St. Thomas (1478-1535) who died even more bravely was not totally unafraid. He himself says, “I have found myself to be very sensitive and I know well-and I beg God to show me his pity- that my flesh fears pain and death with more horror than is fitting, as I suppose, to a devout Christian. This is my great comfort that even if I am by nature so fearful in the presence of pain that I should frighten myself before hand at a simple slap, yet In all the moments of my suffering, thanks to the goodness of almighty God, I have never thought in my mind to do anything whatsoever against my conscience”. This assessment is the judgment that awaits any leader!
Conscience is the key to every day live. One who is a leader must not forget his conscience in his office while claiming to be the best. The government that informed us few days ago that we are not in any recession is bent on sacking more workers in the civil service, why? Gov. Rochas has destroyed local government order and has continued to rule Imo without conducting Local Government election. Where is your conscience in all these? I ask my Governor again please where is your conscience?