Between political correctness and national survival

‘POLITICAL correctness’ is the art of seeking a balance between good and evil, between light and darkness. It is being economical with truth in order to be accepted by mainstream opinion. Political correctness is human ultimate design to eliminate truth, gag the people and destroy their sacred beliefs and liberty.

With political correctness, a generation is stampeded into a future of insignificance, anarchy and depravity – a future without legacy of truth, honor and courage – a future devoid of meaning, purpose and vision.

Political correctness is not a culture of overnight occurrence but the result of gradual, progressive and deliberate triumph of “modernism” over the sacred beliefs and traditions of a people, which define their fundamental character and existence. It is a quiet but insidious social masturbation of a people overtaken by a culture of ease, self indulgence, pleasure and gross idolatry. Political correctness is akin to killing a frog by first throwing it into a bowl of warm water before gradually heating up the water to snuff life out of it.

To enslave a people you colonise their minds. To dominate and conquer a people you control their hearts. To destroy them you normalise evil. All over Nigeria, factories, libraries, productivity, pursuit of great goals are declining and fast going into extinct. Yet in almost every nook and corner of our cities night clubs, lounges, restaurants, bars, plazas, malls, supermarkets, entertainment TVs are growing in countless numbers to feed our Esau appetite.

Yes, the movie and music industries may have created avenue for our younger generation to utilise their talents and earn a living. Sacrificing our future for immediate survival has always been the bane of our backwardness as a people. Clearly, nothing of substance and content can be found in most of these movies and music to educate, instruct and galvanise anyone with any sense of high purpose, direction and aspiration.

Instead, the heart of our youths and children are being perverted by relentless amoral music videos, social programmes and movies of nude women and sex everywhere in our public domains peddled by unscrupulous musicians, producers, record labels and their sponsors desperate for fame, money and power. Deliberately, we are killing the flame of learning and replacing pursuit of high aspirations and great goals with sex, sports and entertainment.

The philosophy of market economy is hinged on limited government, freedom and consumerism. Today, our nation has not only become a dumping ground for goods and services from all over the world but Nigerians are deliberately being turned into gluttons. Yet we are not producing.

Without principled leadership, strong regulatory power and citizenry with a heart for honour, our nation is set for moral, cultural and economic bankruptcy. This can only spell disaster for our nation and people. Evil overtakes a people when good men and those entrusted with the important duties of state fold their hands and do nothing.
Nigerians and relevant authorities must rise now against every immoral bombardment on our airwaves and culture of “entertainment consumerism” taking over our homes and seeking to numb and overwhelm our moral strength, cultural decency and spiritual heritage. This is war and must be seen and confronted as such?

There are laws to combat some of this garbage. The National Broadcasting Corporation Act No 38 of 1992 as amended by Act 55 of 1999 offers comprehensive regulatory and supervisory powers to the Commission over broadcasting rights, content and conduct of the Broadcast industry. The National Film Video Censors Board is the regulatory body set up by Act No.85 of 1993 to regulate the film and video industry in Nigeria. The Constitution is clear on any threat to our public morality and health.

The effort of the NBC must be complemented by all Nigerians. This is a call to the defence of our sovereignty, family and national survival. To focus on media regulation without dealing with the root cause may be an exercise in futility. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) must educate itself and embrace the challenge of value and culture re-orientation of the citizenry as a matter of urgent national importance. The movie and music industry must come under intense scrutiny, regulation and orientation to redirect its activities to more progressive and enduring cause.

To destroy a kingdom is to set them on a journey of inordinate entertainment, pleasure and debauchery – a journey of self-destruction. Freedom without control must end in disaster. Roman Empire is an example!
• Benjamin, a lawyer, is based in Lagos.