“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” not only applied to pigs on the farm but also describes the upper class in Nigeria as well.
![The supermarket was under lock and key when officials of the FCCPC visited the supermarket [Peoples Gazette]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "The supermarket was under lock and key when officials of the FCCPC visited the supermarket [Peoples Gazette]")
In this dear country of ours, the greatest crime is to be poor. If you are rich and have the means you can get away with anything. Petty robbers are stoned and burnt to death while corrupt politicians are revered like demi-gods.
Inequality is rife in Nigeria. What is good for the goose is not good for the gander. If you are rich in this country, then you can break the law anytime you feel like.
Much has been said about Davido’s privileged background. No doubt talented and hardworking, Davido’s family’s wealth is hard to ignore.
Apart from his family's riches, the Adeleke dynasty is a force to reckon with in Osun state. Davido has used this political clout much to his advantage in recent weeks.
The pop star is presently undergoing the mandatory 1-year service for Nigerian graduates known as the National Youth Corps Service (NYSC).
ALSO READ: Davido's account allegedly frozen by EFCC
While Davido might have donned the khaki, his service has been far from the usual. Every corps member is mandated to be in camp for 21 days.
After a few days of whirlwind appearances, Davido left camp to kick off his North American tour. We can overlook Davido bailing out of camp to honour his music commitment. We cannot however overlook the fact that Davido has flouted one of the major rules of NYSC bye-laws which is not to participate in partisan politics.
Davido cut short his US tour midway and flew back to Nigeria. He claimed the reason was to focus on his youth service but during this period he released a video online announcing that he would be at political rallies in Osun in support of his uncle, Senator Adeleke, who is running for Governor.
When Davido touched down in Nigeria, he started campaigning for his uncle, showing up and galvanizing the crowd. He did this several times before the governorship election.
He didn’t stop there. On Sunday, September 23, 2018, Davido tweeted severally that APC was rigging the election.
The rules are the rules and it is clear to see Davido actively involved in politics. What is not clear is if the NYSC authorities will caution the pop star and extend his service by three months. We are watching to see if only these bye-laws apply to children of the poor and not of the rich.
Many corps members have died, been injured and raped serving this country. Davido is not better than them. The laws should apply to everyone and not to those who do not have the political connections or clout.
Let’s not mention the fact that children of the rich who study abroad are given the privilege of staying in cosy camps (Lagos and Abuja) which are 5-star hotels compared to other camps in most states. This luxury is not afforded to Nigerian graduates from humble backgrounds who are tossed to far-flung places to serve a nation that has clearly shown it does not care for them.
Kudos to Davido for serving the nation. Many of his contemporaries haven’t bothered to do it all. Yet, while he serves the nation he shouldn't make a mockery of those who don’t have the same means as him.
It is also high time we do away with the NYSC, an exercise that is becoming more irrelevant by the day.
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