When Trust is betrayed

Trust is sometimes described like a piece of glass, once shattered or broken, it is virtually impossible to put it back together to the state it was previously no matter how much effort is put in to achieve it. This is the reason why the one in whom people repose their trust must guard it jealously. Trust is so important that it a key factor in the success of failure of any kind of relationship. Any relationship that lacks it will surely not stand the test of time, no matter how lovely or rosy it may appear to be at the beginning.

In Africa, respect for elders is a key part of our culture and upbringing. Hence the expected norm is for the younger generation to look up to and respect the older generation because the latter is expected to guide the former with a good example by being a role model. Sadly, the culture of respect for elders is fast fading away. Some have attributed this to solely be the effect of the influence of westernisation. I however think it is not just that alone. I think another key reason for the loss of respect is the absence to a very large extent of trust for the older generation or the elders by the younger generation.

This absence of trust doesn't just exist between the younger and older generation, it is also prominent in the relationship between the elected officials and the electorate. I think this trust deficit is closely linked to the entrance of a strong opponent in the arena. This opponent is the tag team of politics and corruption who now seem inseparable and unstoppable. The image of the elderly as being trustworthy has largely been tainted by people of this age bracket among the political class who seem to have formed an unholy alliance with corruption. This alliance has brought nothing but disrepute to the image of the elderly being worthy of emulation due to the shameful acts of corruption as well as false promises being made during electioneering campaigns.

Unfortunately, the younger generation are fast copying them as the situation at the level of student activism is no better. In the days of old, the Student Unions used to be a voice against acts of injustice or oppression against students as well as the general public but what we have now in most cases are student union leaders or activists who have been compromised via financial inducements. Hence they dare not speak out against their pay masters thus losing the trust of those who elected them to be their representatives. Thus even amongst the youths, a trust deficit is beginning to develop such that some section of youths fear that if political power is one day handed over to their generation, more brazen acts of corruption may be witnessed.

The recent pandemic further dented an already damaged reputation as the 'palliatives' saga unravelled. The palliatives saga was a series of discoveries of warehouses holding items which were donated and meant for distribution to those worst hit by the lock down. The people were outraged that while they were suffering due to the economic hardship that accompanied the lockdown, their leaders were hoarding items that were meant to offer them some sort of relief. The first discovery of the palliative storage location seemed to trigger a domino effect for the discovery of more locations in other States.

In some other regions the demons that have formed alliances with the Government officials are big pharma. The Government individuals who have been compromised turn a blind eye to contraventions of regulatory practices by big pharmaceutical companies. Some other times this compromise results in appropriate sanctions not being taken on these companies when found guilty of putting the lives of patients or users of their products at unnecessary risks via commercialisation of products without recommended or proper clinical trials.

In the face of these ,it is not surprising that there exists a mistrust by the people in the conventional banking system which is apparently rigged in favour of the government. Hence when the concept of cryptocurrency powdered by blockchain technology was conceived and presented to the public it received widespread acceptance. It was seen as a way out of the centuries old oppression by the Government via the means of the banks.

Thus in the years to come more mass adoption will be witnessed in people embracing cryptocurrency, as people have lost confidence in the banking system as the charges for keeping one's money in the bank seem to subject to an upward review ever so frequently. Also people no longer have trust in fiat as a safe store of wealth due to inflation.

Shukran

Danke

Merci

Gracias

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ধন্যবাদ

Спасибо

for reading.