A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 7: THE MEN IN POWER

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9JJZoolug

Chapter 7: The Men in Power

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ozYrP5vvi

Power is a dangerous thing.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMfm8qWRaG

In the hands of the right people, it can build nations.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHqzKMCIiM

In the hands of the wrong people, it can destroy generations.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKwviDEpUu

The National Assembly building stood proudly in the heart of the capital city.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmnTOBdwop

Its shining walls reflected the morning sun.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJJv6h49LP

Luxury vehicles entered through heavily guarded gates.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VKpX04Bab

Politicians stepped out dressed in expensive suits.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0VTVmiTex

Security officers saluted.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZ1EqqprNC

Assistants carried files.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZkmyI2CrW

Journalists waited outside hoping for interviews.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXER7RRnTmy

Inside the building, decisions were made that affected millions of citizens.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9s23tgyWKx

But many of the people making those decisions had long forgotten what ordinary life looked like.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qq8lEag5a

They no longer stood in crowded bus stations.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVakWljxsL2

They no longer worried about electricity.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPSCYWNcqb

They no longer feared kidnappers.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY0c1eDyh0

They no longer searched for jobs.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktfnMqjKyF

Their world was different.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3r5OgC8bQH

Completely different.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyPDW1jqu3

Among them was Senator Victor Balogun.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxfsycgxst

For over twenty years, he had occupied powerful positions in government.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtM1VAHxiHo

His speeches were always impressive.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9pEWsFzYb

His promises were always attractive.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWXc8BVfQ7

His campaigns were always successful.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTogby2aNG

Yet the communities he represented remained poor.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf9IAyB1gd

Roads remained broken.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2mHVATLIk

Hospitals remained underfunded.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y4hjj2sCT

Schools remained neglected.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzj3MqL0Cn

But somehow, Senator Balogun grew richer every year.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchU4ooaJuX

Much richer.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBJ4sRY4Vm

That morning, he sat inside his luxurious office reviewing reports.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGecQPtfeD

His assistant entered.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVzkJt9hiy

"Sir, there are complaints from the northern communities regarding insecurity."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7CahrqEWP

The senator barely looked up.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HGThqK1Ug

"Send the usual statement."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQtQQNx7Tj

"The usual statement, sir?"

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMD2iKjQPi

"We condemn the attacks. Government is working tirelessly. Security agencies have been directed to act."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00Ib5o42Mr

The assistant nodded.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGwkgYx4Qx

He had heard those words many times before.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUXbEUcPSc

Everyone had.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1x6pPc5Ax

Meanwhile, in villages across the country, citizens buried their dead.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyO0Bf28v3

---

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZ3dsb89eh

Several kilometers away, Daniel sat inside a crowded café reading newspaper reports.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdLDlIfeTA

Page after page described corruption scandals.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZApDCJcFg7

Missing public funds.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzinOgQa4eo

Abandoned projects.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdVK2m4E4Y

Inflated contracts.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt4fnlIuPo

Political appointments based on connections rather than competence.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsEK7TCBl7

The stories were endless.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVp15Mpf8jY

The numbers were shocking.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfLJIV3e1E

Billions lost.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsGGfVK19Z

Billions stolen.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUFohHTUDr

Billions unaccounted for.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCtJSBpLQe

Daniel shook his head.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQY9B5B4mh

The same money could have built schools.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDugsQiB3ku

The same money could have equipped hospitals.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6Ni9xegaJ

The same money could have created jobs.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiIEAtILJD

Instead, it disappeared.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpPFwq94Fp

And nobody seemed accountable.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhZtGe7UuZ

Across the café, a television broadcast showed politicians arguing during a live debate.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBrxYeLaoy

They blamed one another.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUncBDL85ef

They defended themselves.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrNNitp2x6

They made excuses.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5GWJNjqC7

What they never discussed were the ordinary people suffering outside those chambers.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Crpfo7Mi5

The mothers.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJI3CSSKbzS

The farmers.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxEhNUWSYq

The students.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3UqmYOv1s

The unemployed graduates.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbRQDUjUfs

The forgotten citizens.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmgiYuFbCl

The people who carried the burden of every bad decision.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXU7WwxY4Z

---

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6muSAC9zQ8

That evening, Daniel met an investigative journalist named Hassan.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AIMqsjHbP

The two sat inside a small restaurant far from the city center.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopVUHa0nXb

Hassan had spent years investigating corruption.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs2xyGUo1v

As a result, he had made powerful enemies.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad1asOZdA1

"Do you know what the biggest problem is?" Hassan asked.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPrhlyomg2

Daniel shook his head.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilhys2k3gs

"The problem isn't that corruption exists."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AINykxDJO

"What is it then?"

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaHpUBRASz

"The problem is that many people have accepted it."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMTnlqpKEH

Daniel remained silent.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbb4mNTS7R

Hassan continued.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bJb9UcrEr

"When corruption becomes normal, people stop fighting it."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrmcPZ1w9f

"When injustice becomes common, people stop questioning it."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5G39P49p7

"When leaders fail repeatedly, citizens begin to expect failure."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9qONKT0ay

The words struck Daniel deeply.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvQ72kKFhD

Because they were true.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbPetNRIUC

Many people had lost faith.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1lzw4GK93

Many had stopped believing change was possible.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrD0FGrnqi

Many had simply learned to survive.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9VrzFIzBB

---

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezyOOVsuwn

Later that night, Daniel walked through a wealthy neighborhood.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrw4wvcTeo

Tall fences surrounded massive mansions.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zfLpChanu

Luxury cars lined private driveways.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDFXPrEVNf

Generators supplied uninterrupted electricity.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpqd2FHJug

Private security guarded every entrance.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aHiimUX04

The contrast was painful.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCcMD6HD0x

Only a few kilometers away, entire communities lacked basic services.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJm0ctRqM5

Children studied under candlelight.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqPv13yRy4

Hospitals struggled without equipment.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSGAkD74XO

Families survived on one meal a day.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgR5Eiv1Za

Yet here, wealth flowed endlessly.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51ziGqPzWX

Daniel stopped in front of one mansion.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkxtAonNWj

The building was enormous.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyfr2pPbyp

Its marble walls gleamed beneath bright lights.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3YmGxbuqR

He wondered how many classrooms could have been built with that money.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQLPU8TyX4

How many hospitals.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBbOgohe0S

How many roads.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3pNwKWNLP

How many lives.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpUJLzVSgT

The thought made him angry.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOauc6oJy4k

Not because people were wealthy.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9qsjYC3hJ

But because so much wealth had come at the expense of public suffering.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLJSrJkoA9

---

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOypB8gkl13

The following morning, Senator Balogun appeared on national television.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9VrjWyp72

His voice sounded confident.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptVFh3ylfu

"My administration remains committed to the welfare of the people."

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7StvEYBzKf

Millions watched.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VrRKJHFJq

Some believed him.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRoMyIjsES

Others laughed bitterly.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsCd9ovw0U

Many simply changed the channel.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwPpbMO8kt

The gap between words and reality had become too large.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao4bDXU6cH

Promises no longer carried weight.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yJA8sZwpr

Citizens wanted results.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaHPXyZoFy

Not speeches.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFoT7tA4K4

Not slogans.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuUPUYZQ2r

Not excuses.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqVtUwH1F7

Results.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDpXOX640k

As Daniel watched the broadcast, he realized something important.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM8574B8fd

The nation was not bleeding because it lacked resources.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cSfpgh2m3

It was bleeding because too many of its leaders had forgotten their purpose.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdf0e4gLHXo

Power had become a business.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0nfVF6zuW

Leadership had become an opportunity for personal gain.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4hwwiDxM6

Public service had become self-service.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzSgsO65qj

And until that changed, the wounds of the nation would continue to deepen.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrlE4vlQqx

Outside his window, the city moved as usual.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQFQkStfqF

People hurried to work.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmuC0LCB9P

Children walked to school.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1P2NaHEeZ

Traders opened their shops.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAq8HlUl5M9

Life continued.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuc0WAfzQU

But beneath the surface, frustration was growing.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6duSA4j6ZE

The people were watching.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGhUzKPFbc

The people were remembering.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HRqLa0BuJ

And sooner or later, those in power would have to answer for the nation they had helped create.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsLYiqGS4G

A nation that was still bleeding.

18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Y8InsAFLL

A nation still crying for justice.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6WQYb7vTD

ns216.73.216.45da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically