Maybe because I write, but my guess would be that we all know these things already. We all experience it on a daily. Stories are told in sociology classes with the hope of correcting our mentally backward, slavish and selfish ways.

I just experienced a drama unfold in a bank. I'd like to keep the bank anonymous, as it may not be applicable to entirely all their staffs, and that would be me being unfair to the very few good ones. Truth is, the average Nigerian, banker, doctor, lecturer, secretary, even driver, exhibit this silly attitude, so it isn't tied to a profession, but the effect of society on every individual.

These men sat outside their house sometime last week, discussing the many issues with Nigeria. One argued that the government were no different from the people, and some of these critics of government would even do worse if the opportunity for them to participate in any public office presented itself. To prove his argument true, he would carry out a test. And he asked his friend what bank he thought to have the most competent staff. His friend mentioned this bank and so they set out for their test today. bar mitzvah dresses

Man one sent his eldest son and his driver to this bank. He and his friend also went with them. To a branch they were both unknown. He had his son dress like a tattered pauper and his driver in a nice tuxedo, well cut and shaven, with three hi-tech gadget and a Benz key holder with the car keys to go.

The instruction was for his son to go over the counter first and request for an account opening document, answer all necessary questions asked and proceed to fill and submit the document. The driver was to do the exact same thing. The argument was that they would receive a very distant reception from the exact same individual, on merit of their appearance.

They weren't far from the truth. The son who got there way before the driver, was left on a queue while the driver was receiving first class reception. Even though the manner, language and presentation of the son was posh, the driver with mixed tenses and rushed tone was getting all the 'yes sir' 'no sir' 'sign here please' while the son only got 'please wait' 'exercise patience' 'one after the other'.

The two men looked on for minutes, and then the man urged his friend to try and salvage the situation. His friend walked up to the counter and stated how he has been watching and this boy-pointing to the man's son-had been there for ages. Instead of the banker to address his complains, she simply asked; "what can we do for you sir?"

"Attend to this man." He replied.

"I will sir."

"Why the delay?"

"I am not a robot sir. It is not my fault. I am attending to one person. Don't teach me my job".

And with that, their test was completed. The man walked towards the counter, beckoned on his son and his driver and they all made to leave. There was raised voices and slight argument that made the manager come out of his office and try to address the situation. It was then the man narrated the whole story, reiterating his argument. He is even a custom of the bank with his account running in millions.

What will follow was the manager summoning the staff to his office and scolding the hell out of her as if that wasn't how they were woven to work.

The rich looking guy would obviously invest more than the tattered pauper. So why not give him quality customer service? It is like that everywhere in this country.

The rich man knows he's the one doing something wrong, but he will be the first to run to the station. With his friends and connections there, he would jail the poor man he has wronged.

Landlords would wake up one morning with the resolve to evict one tenant who has already coughed out money to have his roof over his head, without a single thought of this tenant's plight.

Lecturers would impose books and handouts on you not caring whether you ate to class the previous night or walked miles to school that morning. Education is not cheap, they'll say. So making it more expensive than necessary is the way?

Secretaries would be collecting bribes like police on the highway, before they forward your application letter or arrange a meeting between you and the boss.

The same you involved in all these would want to judge and condemn somebody else over a different crime than yours because it is more rewarding or more gruesome?

We're all here. The products of our insane society.