Fraternal Criminality as Charity
One growing and disturbing phenomenon of Nigerian university campus grown fraternities (UCGFs) is their transformation into “charities”. It is a purely criminal phenomenon. Set up by criminals purely for the benefits of a cabal of criminals who run these fraternities. It is just another ruse for fraternities to hit the goodwill of funders of charitable agencies with criminal and fraudulent activities in the name of do-gooding.
The fraternities in Nigeria and their branches in the diaspora have numerous members who suffer painfully with disease. HIV/AIDS, cancer, organ failure, organ transplants, trauma due to accidents. Or severe mental illness, paralysis, strokes, blindness, amputation. Not to talk of complications with advance cases of heart disease, diabetes, malaria, impotence, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis etc. Yet, not even one of these fraternities has any program or policy of support, assistance, or compassion towards their members. Those suffering with mild to severe illness and disability.
Nevertheless, these are the same fraternities that want ‘funders and donors’ money to “help members of society” even though they do not care in any way whatsoever about their own sick and disabled. Whatever happened to “charity begins at home?” Most accurately it is actually “criminality begins at home”.
These fraternities as a fixed rule routinely humiliate, mock, and abuse their ill and disabled members with impunity for no other reason than their vulnerability and incapacity. Moreover, evidence of such is overwhelming and abundantly available. Yet, the criminals who run these fraternities expect to be epitomes of trust with the “welfare care, protection and rehabilitation of the needy in society”.
The fraternity that as a strong enforceable rule discards its members suffering from HIV/AIDS. They leave them to their fate. Dramatically, they pursue grand ambitions for large “funding” to care for “members of the public.” The victims of HIV/AIDS. These fraternities “care” about the sick and homeless but not like their sight, conditions, difficulties, smell, or bare necessities. Thus, money, criminally acquired money, is their only concern, the sick and disabled or just the usable “facilitators”. Profiting criminally from the most vulnerable in society is simply disgusting. It should never be tolerated anywhere.
Unfortunately, funding agencies, donors, corporate regulators, and governments have been perennial victims to be ripped off by criminals seeking self-enrichment and grandiosity in the name of good causes. Accordingly, fraternities everywhere are cashing in on the game; their time for criminal windfalls has come. In the absence of thorough scrutiny, what could anyone expect?
Which agency is next in line to face a ripping off once again and which fraternity is going to catch the next unwitting target?
Fraternal criminality as charity is another game.
Grimot Nane