Money: A Naked Beauty; Our Nation's Temptress.

In the grand theatre of society, money has always played the dual role of savior and seducer. It is the naked beauty that mesmerizes from a distance and the temptress that whispers promises of power, pleasure, and prestige. Money’s allure is timeless — an invisible force that drives human ambition, shapes civilizations, and often decides the fate of individuals and nations alike. The Naked Beauty Money, in its purest form, is a tool. Stripped of illusion, it is nothing more than paper, metal, or digital entries on a screen — yet its influence is far more potent than any physical weapon. Like a naked beauty, its appeal lies not in what it is, but in what it represents: freedom, comfort, opportunity. It empowers the poor, emboldens the rich, and intoxicates the powerful. Its transparency — everyone knows its value and desires it — makes its power universally acknowledged, though rarely questioned. This raw transparency also reveals the truth about our priorities. We build careers, chase dreams, and often sacrifice relationships in pursuit of it. We measure success by it, judge worth by it, and sometimes, define morality around it. In this regard, money is both muse and mirror, exposing who we are and what we truly desire. The National Temptress While individuals are seduced by money's promises, nations are no less immune. Economies rise and fall on its tides. Policies, alliances, and wars often revolve around the pursuit or protection of wealth. In politics, money can be both benefactor and corruptor — funding campaigns while undermining democracy. In culture, it dictates trends and rewrites values, turning art into product and knowledge into commodity. In developing countries, money is the promised path out of poverty, but often comes with strings — foreign loans, exploitative industries, and internal corruption. For wealthier nations, it is the trap of consumerism and unsustainable growth. It becomes the temptress that lures nations into cycles of debt, inequality, and environmental degradation, all in the name of progress. Between Worship and Wisdom Money is not inherently evil, nor is it inherently good. Like beauty or temptation, it is a force — one that can be harnessed or one that can consume. The danger lies in worshipping it without understanding its place. When money becomes the end instead of the means, society loses sight of compassion, justice, and shared humanity. What our nation — and indeed, the world — needs is a new relationship with money. One where it serves rather than seduces. Where value is not only measured in profit, but in wellbeing, sustainability, and equity. Conclusion "Money: A Naked Beauty, Our Nation’s Temptress" is not just a poetic phrase — it is a truth we live daily. We admire it, chase it, and too often, fall victim to its charms. But in recognizing its power, we also gain the power to redefine our relationship with it. Let us admire the beauty, resist the temptation, and remember that the worth of a nation — and a person — lies not in what it owns, but in what it values.

Other insights from Abisola Oladimeji