Let me start with a quote by Louis Brandeis: “If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable”. This is like a repackaging of the popular statement that the way one is dressed determines how one is addressed. While western societies may be somewhat lax about showing respect, especially to older persons, in Africa, respect is king. In some settings, an older person can never be wrong, and would talk down any unfortunate younger person who dares point out flaws in actions or words. This addiction to respect, is in my view, one of the reasons why Nigeria is underdeveloped.
Continue reading “When Constituted Authority Demands Respect”