Fighting Corruption in Nigeria

By Airaodion Augustine I.

According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (New 8th Edition), corruption is the act or effect of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour.  It is a dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority. Corruption has affected every aspect of Nigeria.  It is visible in politics, business, profession, and even in the church.  Many people have concluded that corruption have come to stay with us while others believe that the war against corruption can be won in Nigeria. What is your view?

Over the years, several administrations have paid lip service to the fight against corruption.  Many agencies of government at all levels and in all branches have become subject matters of financial scandals.  There are daily reports of officials fraudulently appropriating millions of dollars from the treasury.  There have been unimaginable scandals in almost all sectors of the Nigerian economic, and more often than not, indicted officials get easy bails when they are arrested or arraigned in court. Once they get bail, it is almost impossible for them to be convicted thereafter.  In many instance, plea bargains are track insuring the people who steal millions of dollars walk away practically scot free after paying very little fines.

Corruption is the reason why millions of Nigerians do not have jobs and cannot afford descent living or even descent clothes.  It is the reason why many Nigerians are dying ruthlessly in road and air accidents; it is also the reason why many retirees are unable to get pension and gratuities.  Corruption is the reason why average Nigerian cannot afford to rent a descent accommodation or even buy a descent home.  It is the reason why many government hospitals are now mere consulting rooms and citizens die from minor medical problems.  It is the reason why public schools are no longer funded properly making it impossible for children from poor homes that attend these schools to get qualitative education.  It is the reason why many students spend up to ten (10) years in the university and still can’t graduate with a Bachelor’s degree.  It is the reason why workers stay in the same position for ten years without promotions. It is the reason why a junior staff will head a department where there are senior staffs. Corruption is the reason why over one hundred million Nigerians live on less than one dollar a day. It is the reason why pastors sleep with their members in the name of deliverance. It is the reason why there is power tussle in the church. It is the reason why many Nigerian youths want to travel abroad in search of greener pasture. It is the reason why we see two or three churches in a single building. It is the reason why stable power supply had not been guaranteed in Nigeria. It is the reason why Nigerians are subjected to humiliation and scandalous search and scrutiny at foreign embassies. Corruption is the reason why workers will write a time earlier than their arrival in the time book. It is the reason why spouses do not know each other’s salary and allowances. It is the reason why you want someone close to you to occupy a vital position to aid and influence your selfish decisions and actions. It is the reason why leaders seek only what concerns them and neglect their followers. It is also the reason why fake and sub–standard products have circulated the Nigeria market. Corruption is the reason why Nigerians reduce their age to get a job or stay longer in the civil service. It is the reason why our politicians want to get to power by all means. The list is inexhaustible.

It is very clear that over the years, the Nigeria system and structures have broken down.  For every disaster or incidence in Nigeria, the same template has been adopted for investigation to recommendation and white paper.  There never seems to be any implementation until the white paper turns brown or another disaster happens and the template is dusted up as the cycle continues.  More often than not, investigators uncover massive fraud in the system but end up also committing their own fraud.  In the aviation sector for instance, it seems anyone with access to airplane can wake up any day, set up Airline Company without stringent regulatory oversight.  This type of corruption has led to many avoidable plane crashes in Nigeria.  Many unnecessary losses of lives have occurred because regulators in Nigeria do not do their jobs and they wait for external gratification.  A lot of the lives could also have been saved if emergency rescue equipment were quickly on the scene of the accident.

Corruption has become the norm of most public and private organizations.  Corruption, more than insecurity has the potential of truncating Nigeria’s unity as a nation.  There is a compelling need for far greater wipe on the part of present crop of Nigerians and government officials to fight corruption.  Many people have generally lost faith in the ability of the anticorruption agencies to fight corruption effectively.  There is a need for a change in attitude by Nigerians to corruption and accountability.   Corruption is a cankerworm that cannot be fought by government alone.  Let every one of us (including you) fight corruption anywhere we find ourselves. If you hate corruption, I hate corruption, everyone hates corruption, it will reduce to the barest minimum. The fight against corruption in Nigeria can be won if individual of us is conscious of corruption and avoid it by all means. Nigeria can be free of corruption, it begins with you.

This is an article written by Mr. Airaodion Augustine I., a Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State (07030204212)