A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 7: THE MEN IN POWER

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Chapter 7: The Men in Power

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Power is a dangerous thing.

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In the hands of the right people, it can build nations.

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In the hands of the wrong people, it can destroy generations.

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The National Assembly building stood proudly in the heart of the capital city.

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Its shining walls reflected the morning sun.

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Luxury vehicles entered through heavily guarded gates.

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Politicians stepped out dressed in expensive suits.

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Security officers saluted.

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Assistants carried files.

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Journalists waited outside hoping for interviews.

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Inside the building, decisions were made that affected millions of citizens.

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But many of the people making those decisions had long forgotten what ordinary life looked like.

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They no longer stood in crowded bus stations.

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They no longer worried about electricity.

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They no longer feared kidnappers.

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They no longer searched for jobs.

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Their world was different.

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Completely different.

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Among them was Senator Victor Balogun.

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For over twenty years, he had occupied powerful positions in government.

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His speeches were always impressive.

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His promises were always attractive.

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His campaigns were always successful.

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Yet the communities he represented remained poor.

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Roads remained broken.

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Hospitals remained underfunded.

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Schools remained neglected.

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But somehow, Senator Balogun grew richer every year.

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Much richer.

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That morning, he sat inside his luxurious office reviewing reports.

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His assistant entered.

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"Sir, there are complaints from the northern communities regarding insecurity."

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The senator barely looked up.

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"Send the usual statement."

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"The usual statement, sir?"

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"We condemn the attacks. Government is working tirelessly. Security agencies have been directed to act."

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The assistant nodded.

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He had heard those words many times before.

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Everyone had.

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Meanwhile, in villages across the country, citizens buried their dead.

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Several kilometers away, Daniel sat inside a crowded café reading newspaper reports.

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Page after page described corruption scandals.

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Missing public funds.

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Abandoned projects.

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Inflated contracts.

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Political appointments based on connections rather than competence.

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The stories were endless.

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The numbers were shocking.

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Billions lost.

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Billions stolen.

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Billions unaccounted for.

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Daniel shook his head.

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The same money could have built schools.

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The same money could have equipped hospitals.

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The same money could have created jobs.

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Instead, it disappeared.

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And nobody seemed accountable.

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Across the café, a television broadcast showed politicians arguing during a live debate.

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They blamed one another.

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They defended themselves.

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They made excuses.

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What they never discussed were the ordinary people suffering outside those chambers.

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The mothers.

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The farmers.

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The students.

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The unemployed graduates.

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The forgotten citizens.

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The people who carried the burden of every bad decision.

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---

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That evening, Daniel met an investigative journalist named Hassan.

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The two sat inside a small restaurant far from the city center.

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Hassan had spent years investigating corruption.

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As a result, he had made powerful enemies.

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"Do you know what the biggest problem is?" Hassan asked.

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Daniel shook his head.

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"The problem isn't that corruption exists."

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"What is it then?"

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"The problem is that many people have accepted it."

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Daniel remained silent.

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Hassan continued.

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"When corruption becomes normal, people stop fighting it."

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"When injustice becomes common, people stop questioning it."

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"When leaders fail repeatedly, citizens begin to expect failure."

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The words struck Daniel deeply.

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Because they were true.

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Many people had lost faith.

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Many had stopped believing change was possible.

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Many had simply learned to survive.

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Later that night, Daniel walked through a wealthy neighborhood.

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Tall fences surrounded massive mansions.

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Luxury cars lined private driveways.

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Generators supplied uninterrupted electricity.

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Private security guarded every entrance.

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The contrast was painful.

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Only a few kilometers away, entire communities lacked basic services.

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Children studied under candlelight.

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Hospitals struggled without equipment.

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Families survived on one meal a day.

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Yet here, wealth flowed endlessly.

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Daniel stopped in front of one mansion.

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The building was enormous.

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Its marble walls gleamed beneath bright lights.

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He wondered how many classrooms could have been built with that money.

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How many hospitals.

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How many roads.

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How many lives.

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The thought made him angry.

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Not because people were wealthy.

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But because so much wealth had come at the expense of public suffering.

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The following morning, Senator Balogun appeared on national television.

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His voice sounded confident.

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"My administration remains committed to the welfare of the people."

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Millions watched.

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Some believed him.

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Others laughed bitterly.

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Many simply changed the channel.

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The gap between words and reality had become too large.

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Promises no longer carried weight.

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Citizens wanted results.

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Not speeches.

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Not slogans.

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Not excuses.

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Results.

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As Daniel watched the broadcast, he realized something important.

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The nation was not bleeding because it lacked resources.

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It was bleeding because too many of its leaders had forgotten their purpose.

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Power had become a business.

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Leadership had become an opportunity for personal gain.

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Public service had become self-service.

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And until that changed, the wounds of the nation would continue to deepen.

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Outside his window, the city moved as usual.

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People hurried to work.

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Children walked to school.

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Traders opened their shops.

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Life continued.

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But beneath the surface, frustration was growing.

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The people were watching.

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The people were remembering.

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And sooner or later, those in power would have to answer for the nation they had helped create.

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A nation that was still bleeding.

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A nation still crying for justice.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AGbJkgbfl

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