Re- Exploiting the sick for money

IT is a fact that, at different times, we will experience one ailment or the other. This is true since the body is not a stone. It is the law of nature for the body to break down, after having worked very hard over a period of time, or after being abused with alcohol or wrong feeding. Having said this, I want to state that the activities of those preying on the sick for pecuniary gains should be viewed and handled with the seriousness it deserves. These opportunists are using the plight of the sick (whom they claim to be helping) to exploit not only the sick, but also other members of the society. This is a crime in itself and it should be treated as such.

However, let us be guided by this African adage which says, ‘’If we decide to shut our eyes so that we won’t see those who are evil as well as the works of their hands, we may in the process, miss the good people who might pass at that time also.’’ So, asking the government to deal mercilessly with dishonest ones among these people may result in wrongful discipline of the innocent and honest ones among them. So, great caution must be applied in handling the situation. However, I still blame our government for their failure to cater, as they should, for the needs of the masses as this has in no small way led to the deplorable situation in which most Nigerians have found themselves today. With abject poverty in the land, it is no surprise that people are being ingenious (though in a negative way), in order to put food on the table.

Taiwo Sangotikun Iseyin, Oyo State 08056309372

Statutory and relevant bodies should positively intervene and put an end to the doubtful activities of these conscienceless people. Money, even trillions, has never bought good health anywhere and I am convinced it will never help their condition. The only solution is the provision of proper healthcare, which would lead to quick and lasting recovery.

Femi Dada, Abuja 08183920427.

Your write-up on exploiting the sick for money is quite interesting as it throws up two kinds of people who are involved in begging in the country – the first group involves those who genuinely need help while the second involves the opportunists and tricksters. It is difficult to ignore either of the groups because the Holy Scriptures say that whomever you can afford to assist is your partner, (i.e. your neighbour). It also enjoins us to take care of him/her. What further makes it hard to ignore them is the point you raised that majority of these people find it very difficult to feed, not to talk of paying for medical treatment. In view of this, they need to be pitied, yet even those who are supposed to give do not have to give – the bottom line is that the current economic hardship has worsened the situation and I believe that only the government can solve most of these multifarious problems.

Lekan Oladeji, Ilora 08053049443

Some years ago, an elderly person spoke in parables at a public function. The parable goes thus; if a thousand sheep were led by a lion, every one of them automatically becomes a lion and if a thousand lions were being led by a sheep everyone of them becomes a sheep .Early this month somebody from one of the southwest states told me that both serving and retired civil servants of the state have become scientific beggars. My own understanding is that nearly every Nigerian has become a beggar because of the situation created by the type of leadership we have. May God Almighty give us God fearing and God loving leaders?

Revd Afolabi M. G. Agodongbo Oyo

I had a firsthand experience of the situation as I was leaving the church three weeks ago. A middle aged man, probably in his late forties approached me and requested for financial help. Without wasting time, I dipped my hand into my pocket and offered him N200. He was furious. What the hell, he shouted at me and went on to ask me what I thought the paltry sum I offered would do in resolving the medical problems of his son who at that moment was in the hospital for an operation. He said he needed as much as N50, 000 for his son’s operation and not the pittance that I was offering. I was so dumbfounded that all I could do was just to quietly leave for my home. People who were familiar with him and his antics later told me that it was his practice to visit a different church every Sunday with the same story. May God save Nigeria.

Adepoju Ajibare, Ado-Ekiti 08070777773