In the past, I always thought people needed a lot of money, big offices, and top appointments before they could allow themselves to be power drunk. But I was wrong after I watched and experienced how a fellow corps member became something else that a lot of people didn't recognize after he was appointed to a post.
The LGI appointed him to be the next CLO, someone who will always be in his office and take charge of coordinating other corps members or pass firsthand information from the LGI, and then, we knew that some of his responsibilities require that he gives instructions. But along the way, the way he interacted with the rest of the corps members changed. He became power drunk, began giving instructions like commands, and simple disagreements became occasions to remind others that he is still in position.
What got me angry was that we were all wearing the same uniform and serving our country under the same scheme. Because of an assignment, none of us had become more important as a human being. But yet this guy became less considerate, did things on his own terms, and began to treat others like they were beneath him. People started disliking him, and conversations that ought to have gone normally started looking uncomfortable because everyone was trying not to be on the receiving end of his bad behavior.
Eventually, people started talking about him, and most people hardly interact with him because of the dislike they had towards him. I do not know maybe he noticed that and said to himself that the appointment that was given to him was also pushing people away from him and it will end someday. Perhaps, he was enjoying what he was doing or seeing it as respect when people were simply tired of his whole act.
What I witnessed changed the way I understood the abuse of power. It does not necessarily start with someone breaking the law or asking for too much money. Most times, it all begins just like that, CLO, who forgot that being responsible for others does not make the rest of the people with no appointments or positions his personal subjects.
I believe that taking accountability should always begin with the refusal to handle a little title like that as an opportunity to show disrespect towards other people. Others should be able to speak up and challenge without expecting a backlash or punishment. Those who are above (overseeing the scheme) should listen to the compliments of others fairly, examine specific behavior, and do the needful when need be. And we had a person who should always speak up and not look the other way simply because the person involved is our personal person.
And what I might like not to forget so easily is how a simple appointment or, let me say, an ordinary responsibility can be a source of proving himself as a superior to others. He was appointed to serve the rest of us, yet somehow started acting as though they had been given to him and he would be in that position for life.
Thank you for reading.
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