Re-branding “oath of office”
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- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
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Nigerians, especially public office holders. The “oath of office” usually sworn to by elected and appointed public officers on assumptions of office, has in recent years of civil rule, become more of a ritual than a responsibility aimed at making individuals accountable for their actions. Today, most public officers take oath of office not because they wish to fulfill the covenant of their oath but because it is a constitutional requirement.
This column desires to educate those whose offices require oath-taking on the implications of deliberate and careless breach of their oaths. Although oath-taking is permitted in Islam, man is not under any obligations to take oath for the discharge of any duties, as may be required by his religion or culture (including man-made constitutions). However, it becomes compulsory on man to fulfill all the vows consciously made by him without breaching any sections thereof. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 76:7 “They perform (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil flies far and wide”. The vows mentioned in the Qur’anic verse under reference consist of vows of spiritual service which of course include service to humanity. Imams Buhari and Muslim (RA) both relate on the Authority of Aisha (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever vows to be righteous should keep his vows…” The brazen manner in which those who take oath of office breach the promises of such oaths suggests that they do not consider themselves accountable for their words. This contradicts Qur’an 5:92 wherein Allah (SWT) states “But He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths…”. In fact, Islam recommends fasting to expiate for any breach of one’s oaths. We are not even sure if many of those who take oath of office are aware of this Islamic sanction.
The disrespect which public officers display towards their oaths of office is the result of one or both of these hypotheses: (1) They do not either know the import of the expressions that make up the text of the oath of office, or (2) they do not understand the purposes which oaths of office are expected to serve, and as such, fail to appreciate their implications and significance. The swearing-in ceremonies at which events public officers take oath of office have been reduced in the one-decade of civil rule in Nigeria to what appear more like “morning assemblies” in schools, where principals make announcements to their students; at the end of which students (willingly or grudgingly) clap for the principal. The pledges as contained in the oath of office are contravened by many public officers even before they depart from the venue where the oath was taken. “Oaths” in this case, are turned into “Oats” to be taken at breakfast and expelled before lunch.
The oath of office of public officers as contained in the seventh schedule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reads in part “…that in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without favor, affection or will-will…”. Now, how do we reconcile between this part of the oath and the cholera epidemic that has continued in the past few weeks to ravage some communities particularly in northern states of the country; all because people lack access to clean water? How do we also reconcile between this part of the oath and a government that allows the total collapse of public schools across all levels of education thereby promoting (covertly or overtly) the proliferation of private schools? It is amazing that those who swore “to do right to all manner of people” diverted funds appropriated in the budget for the expressway linking Abuja city to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport; while at the same time ignoring the dualization of the Zuba-Lokoja highway, which on a daily basis sends motorists to their early graves.
Public officers similarly swear in their oaths of office to “abide by the code of conduct contained in the fifth schedule of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria”. Again, a public officer who is not known to have breached the provisions of this schedule is the one who is yet to take an oath of office. If he/she does not operate a foreign bank account, he/she would fail to declare assets after assumption of duty in a public office or at the end of his/her tenure in the office. Some public officers would receive benefits in kind as an inducement of granting a favor or the discharge in his favor of the public officer’s duties; as was witnessed, for instance, in the sale of FGN Houses under the Obasanjo-led eight-year civil rule in Nigeria.
Given the fact that oath of office in Nigeria today does not serve the purpose it was designed for, we suggest to “Madam Re-brand” to re-brand “oath of office” because the teachings of revealed religions, Islam and Christianity, appear to have failed to stir the fear of God (taqwa) or arouse any feeling of awe in Nigerian public officers. Rather than take a futile oath of office, we recommend that public officers should officially be given an “insignia of office” to replace the “oath of office”. The insignia of office should be a coffin, to be placed by individual public officers at a very strategic place in their offices; as a constant reminder of the inevitable which man hates to discuss. Since God’s laws governing oath-taking can no longer dissuade public officers from disobeying God or breaching the terms of their own oaths of office, the presence of a coffin in their offices where they are not expected to “allow personal interest to influence their official conduct” could, perhaps, help to curtail their excesses in leadership and issues of governance. The coffin may be accompanied with a shrouding sheet to make them fully prepared for the inevitable they detest to hear about. May Allah (SWT) guide us to fulfill our promises and protect us from breaching our oaths, amin.
Articles
Re-branding “oath of office”
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 720
Nigerians, especially public office holders. The “oath of office” usually sworn to by elected and appointed public officers on assumptions of office, has in recent years of civil rule, become more of a ritual than a responsibility aimed at making individuals accountable for their actions. Today, most public officers take oath of office not because they wish to fulfill the covenant of their oath but because it is a constitutional requirement.
This column desires to educate those whose offices require oath-taking on the implications of deliberate and careless breach of their oaths. Although oath-taking is permitted in Islam, man is not under any obligations to take oath for the discharge of any duties, as may be required by his religion or culture (including man-made constitutions). However, it becomes compulsory on man to fulfill all the vows consciously made by him without breaching any sections thereof. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 76:7 “They perform (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil flies far and wide”. The vows mentioned in the Qur’anic verse under reference consist of vows of spiritual service which of course include service to humanity. Imams Buhari and Muslim (RA) both relate on the Authority of Aisha (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever vows to be righteous should keep his vows…” The brazen manner in which those who take oath of office breach the promises of such oaths suggests that they do not consider themselves accountable for their words. This contradicts Qur’an 5:92 wherein Allah (SWT) states “But He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths…”. In fact, Islam recommends fasting to expiate for any breach of one’s oaths. We are not even sure if many of those who take oath of office are aware of this Islamic sanction.
The disrespect which public officers display towards their oaths of office is the result of one or both of these hypotheses: (1) They do not either know the import of the expressions that make up the text of the oath of office, or (2) they do not understand the purposes which oaths of office are expected to serve, and as such, fail to appreciate their implications and significance. The swearing-in ceremonies at which events public officers take oath of office have been reduced in the one-decade of civil rule in Nigeria to what appear more like “morning assemblies” in schools, where principals make announcements to their students; at the end of which students (willingly or grudgingly) clap for the principal. The pledges as contained in the oath of office are contravened by many public officers even before they depart from the venue where the oath was taken. “Oaths” in this case, are turned into “Oats” to be taken at breakfast and expelled before lunch.
The oath of office of public officers as contained in the seventh schedule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reads in part “…that in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without favor, affection or will-will…”. Now, how do we reconcile between this part of the oath and the cholera epidemic that has continued in the past few weeks to ravage some communities particularly in northern states of the country; all because people lack access to clean water? How do we also reconcile between this part of the oath and a government that allows the total collapse of public schools across all levels of education thereby promoting (covertly or overtly) the proliferation of private schools? It is amazing that those who swore “to do right to all manner of people” diverted funds appropriated in the budget for the expressway linking Abuja city to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport; while at the same time ignoring the dualization of the Zuba-Lokoja highway, which on a daily basis sends motorists to their early graves.
Public officers similarly swear in their oaths of office to “abide by the code of conduct contained in the fifth schedule of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria”. Again, a public officer who is not known to have breached the provisions of this schedule is the one who is yet to take an oath of office. If he/she does not operate a foreign bank account, he/she would fail to declare assets after assumption of duty in a public office or at the end of his/her tenure in the office. Some public officers would receive benefits in kind as an inducement of granting a favor or the discharge in his favor of the public officer’s duties; as was witnessed, for instance, in the sale of FGN Houses under the Obasanjo-led eight-year civil rule in Nigeria.
Given the fact that oath of office in Nigeria today does not serve the purpose it was designed for, we suggest to “Madam Re-brand” to re-brand “oath of office” because the teachings of revealed religions, Islam and Christianity, appear to have failed to stir the fear of God (taqwa) or arouse any feeling of awe in Nigerian public officers. Rather than take a futile oath of office, we recommend that public officers should officially be given an “insignia of office” to replace the “oath of office”. The insignia of office should be a coffin, to be placed by individual public officers at a very strategic place in their offices; as a constant reminder of the inevitable which man hates to discuss. Since God’s laws governing oath-taking can no longer dissuade public officers from disobeying God or breaching the terms of their own oaths of office, the presence of a coffin in their offices where they are not expected to “allow personal interest to influence their official conduct” could, perhaps, help to curtail their excesses in leadership and issues of governance. The coffin may be accompanied with a shrouding sheet to make them fully prepared for the inevitable they detest to hear about. May Allah (SWT) guide us to fulfill our promises and protect us from breaching our oaths, amin.