I don't know about other countries and the immediate environments people live in, but over here in my country, we are free to a good extent even though we're governed by strict laws. People can practically do whatever they like, and nothing will happen, depending on the calibre of individuals involved and the nature of their actions.
What do I mean?
Some time ago, there was a major uproar on the internet when a certain man decided to call out a clergy who was blatantly deceiving and extorting money from not only members of his church but also a vast number of Nigerian citizens. He did this by selling so-called miracle items at exorbitant prices, making them available for purchase on a website, with delivery services included.
Why am I pointing this out?
I was listening to a radio programme where someone boldly stated that we are too free in this country, to the point that people do whatever they like, and nothing happens. They argued that if it were in a developed country, such organizations or churches would not even exist.
When this controversy became widespread on the internet, the federal government—specifically, the body responsible for checkmating such activities—went silent as if they were unaware of the situation. Although they eventually responded and ordered the cessation of the sale of these items, citing that some were edible and had not been approved by the food and drug regulatory body, it was clear that their intervention was merely for show... because nothing happened afterwards.
Now, did the pastor and his church really stop selling these items? They did, but only temporarily—just long enough for the heat to die down. Eventually, they resumed their activities.
Do you see how free we are in my country? People are free to do whatever they like, defy established rules, and face no consequences.
Laws in any country or society exist to safeguard people against wrongdoing. These laws are not even too strict—they are quite livable. Yet, people still refuse to abide by them. More often than not, it is the high-profile individuals who break the laws, and they do so openly, making it clear that nothing can happen to them because they "own" the system.
Beyond the elites, even the lower class rarely abides by the laws, yet nothing happens because these laws are not enforced. Corruption is so deeply rooted in this part of the world that even when law enforcement agencies manage to punish a lawbreaker, the defaulter can easily work their way out and regain their freedom.
Forget the loud claims that we are governed by strict laws—we are not living by them. Most of us are only avoiding illegal activities because our hearts cannot bear the weight of such wrongdoing. If our minds found it easy to commit these acts, we would do them without hesitation—because, at the end of the day, nothing will happen. Haven't you seen people cutting off life nothing is happening to them?
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to the Week 152, Edition 03 of the Weekly Featured contest in Hive Learners Community