What happens to a society where there is no trust or where trust has been lost?
The philosophers of the past centuries equating trust to virginity said that once trust is lost it can't be got back!
Many times we seem to play with people's trust without knowing that it is a very precious human commodity that must be guarded jealously.
Over years, we have treated and behaved as if trust is a constant which is infinite and which can't be destroyed, revoked, denied or removed. As a result of this thinking, we continued to take people for granted. We have actually ended up abusing the trust that others had in us and we have done this with impunity.
The ongoing discussions of volcanic like eruption interests in the issue of DNA that is engulfing the country both the elites and the ordinary should be a wake up call for all of us.
Issues and interests in DNA tests normally arise only when there is an issue of doubt and when the attribute of trust is on test.
But this loss of trust hasn't started today. We have over time mistrusted and displayed contempt for each other for years.
We mistrusted our pre-colonial African Chiefs whom we accused of betraying the African people by their collaboration with the slave traders.
We went on to mistrust those forefathers who fought the colonialists in the attainment of African independence.
We mistrusted all the subsquent governments that have attempted to steer many of the African countries during the post independence period.
We have mistrusted political players who have attempted to take part in the building of Africa nations.
We mistrusted each other even in our efforts to rebuild the African states following the various political up heals that engulfed Africa.
Even up to this date many neighbouring countries continue to mistrust each other.
Many of our leaders mistrust each others. Religious leaders mistrust one another just as the laity also don't trust their clergy. It is increasingly becoming difficult for the "sheep" to trust the shepherds!
The teachers can no longer be trusted with the students!
Now, sadly there is growing mistrust within families! Spouses are not trusting each other. The male parents are not trusting the children in their homes!
This is becoming a tragedy of society and can only spell collapse of families, communities and societies.
Proposed government regulation of DNA (Ddala Nze Akuzaala) may be necessary but it is certainly not the answer to this moral decadence that stems from and brings about loss of trust.
Trust once lost can't be recreated!
