....VANITY OF VANITIES...

... All is vanity. What does a man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. (Ecc 1:1)

Scenario One:        A young child was ‘arrested’ for stealing some chocolate bars. The details of the whole affair are not necessary save for the fact that the bars belonged to it’s own parents. While the said child immensely tried to hide its deeds from the parents, another child led the ‘investigation’ and ‘arrest’ and presented the same for trial before the parents. Interestingly, the ‘police officer’ sought counsel from a ‘senior colleague in the forces’ before presenting the case for ‘sanction and trial’. We are told that the reason for the inquiry was to make sure that the arresting officer was not being merciless. After being convinced that the cause of justice is important, the said officer proceeded with the matter.  This blog will neither name the actors in this story, nor will this author admit as to whether there is a blood relationship between the author and the said protagonists. What is most important is to know that even children have a sense of justice.

Scenario Two:       In my early days of legal practice, my colleague handled a case involving two brothers –presumed to be of legal mind- who had declared their biological father dead, fraudulently extracted a death certificate and letters of administration, and then sold off their father’s land. When the new owner came to take possession, he found the allegedly dead man alive and well. What followed next is not my focus here, save for the fact that the said brothers had literally sold off their inheritance as well as foregone their father’s blessing. In essence they committed the offence of ‘constructive patricide’ (of course it doesn’t exist in our statute books). 

What struck me by the above stories is that the children stole what would easily have been in its possession without need to either hide their dastardly deeds (at least for scenario two) or the use of illegal/criminal paths. The possibility that the parents would have refused to share what was in their possession, is most likely next to nil (especially in scenario one).  While it is true that the aging father in the latter story could have had sentiments about give or sell off his land while still alive, it would have been the postponement of the inevitable. Equally still, the chocolate in the former story would most likely have been distributed equally between the siblings.

I am reminded of the parable of the Prodigal Son as recounted in the book of Luke 15: 11- 32. In this story, interestingly, the prodigal son knew that he had an inheritance in his father’s estate, (vs. 12) while the other ‘good son’ seems not to known this (vs. 29). I have written about this Prodigal son's brother before here.  Isn’t it sad that often times – just like the good son- we are bitter about what we do not actually properly appreciate, let alone understand? 

Over the past weekend, the Uganda Law Society held its Pre-Annual General Meeting Conference. The main speaker was the Inspector General of Government, Justice Irene Mulyagonja. She spoke about corruption and the way in which public funds are stolen by fellow Ugandans. She also shared ways in which the Society can be helpful in fighting the vice.  One of the main indictments against the Law Society was by a member of the Society who accused fellow lawyers of being the actual agents of corruption. He actually made specific accusations which caused me to propose that a commission of inquiry be instituted to investigate these allegations. However, that is besides the point

Without going into details of the accusations or the discussions that ensued, what stood out for me is that we were all indicted.  Secondly, and probably more importantly, we are stealing what already belongs to us. When money meant for a public service, say a road is siphoned into buying the latest model of vehicle, there will be no road good enough to enable the person to ‘enjoy’ the said vehicle. In anycase, a badly constructed road will be a cause of many an accident and we all are losers. When money meant for health care or education is misallocated (read stolen) to build another block of flats or shopping mall, there will be no healthy - let alone - educated middle class populace with the resources to enjoy these facilities. 

Poorly skilled individuals will obviously give bad services, often with disastrous effects. In some cases, the money stolen from Uganda is used to purchase properties abroad and these rarely benefit the purchaser or his progeny. We then create a society of the ‘Have’s’ and the ‘Have Not’s’ all waiting for a chance to pounce at the national cake as we call it. We are then left in a vicious cycle of poverty and hatred in which it is a man eat man world, survival for the fittest, often ending in a life and death battle for survival.  It is like the dog that is chasing its tail to no avail. The French Revolution is an example of what I am talking about here.

While the benefits of hard work ought to be rewarded, and rewarded handsomely, it is ill advised to take what does not belong to us or even take what is ours before the appointed time. It is equally foolhardy to acquire so much and lose one’s sleep because one wonders when the judge or the police man will come knocking at one’s door. 

The Scripture state thus -

        The sleep of the labouring man is sweet,

Whether he eats little or much;

But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. ( Ecc 5:12)

PRAYER

This is my prayer to the Lord –

                Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die):

.....

Give me neither poverty nor riches (of course I would love to be rich as long as I don’t forget my God-Ed.)–

Feed me with the food allotted to me;

                Lest I be full and deny you,

And say, “Who is the Lord?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God...

(Proverbs 30: 7 -9) NKJV

                AMEN