Last year, Nigeria clinched an unenviable position of 135th among nations, revealing it as one of the most corrupt on earth.
The
Transparency International (T.I) 2012 Report on Corruption Perception Index
surveyed 176 countries in the world and Nigeria was found to be one of the most
robust enclaves for bribery, fraudulent and illegal activities.
An attempt
to ignore or contest this report is a similitude of a man who sees his rooftop
being consumed by a raging fire and yet decides to ignore it, instead goes into
his room within the building and sleeps off. The mildest or most polite way of
describing his action would probably be “he is just being foolish”. Some observers
may also say of him (especially if he could not be rescued from the fire), that
“he is doomed or predestined to end his life that way.”
If that is
said of the foolish man, what shall be said of Nigeria and Nigerians? Shall we
keep mute, fold our arms and “pretend” that all is well with this traumatized
nation?
For the
records, T.I has overtime earned the reputation of providing credible, valid and
reliable report on issues having to do with corruption and administrative
impropriety. Again, on merit, the T.I’s report is considered unique for beaming
its searchlight on two definitive and verifiable issues- corruption and its
perception.
The Oxford
Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines Corruption thus; dishonest or illegal
behavior especially of people in authority; involvement in bribery. The same
dictionary refers to Perception as “the way one notices things especially with
the senses; the ability to understand the true nature of something”.
Needless to
say, that the ills of corruption are many and diverse. It hurts the economy of
a nation much more than any other man made factor. It cripples growth by
circumventing efforts at gearing up gross domestic product. It paralyses
infrastructure of a nation.
Corruption
kills merit and “magnifies” mediocrity. It enslaves men, bereaves a nation of
creativity. It “converts” an adult to a toddler. A corrupt nation celebrates
offenders, dignifies delinquent and decorates criminals with plaques and titles
of heroism.
It is in a
corrupt nation of the Nigeria’s scale that, the authorities call day “night”
and the night they refer to as “day” not minding that sanity still prevails in
other nations around or how the Creator of all, God Almighty, would feel. In
Nigeria, corruption breeds and spreads pollution. In other words, it multiplies
evil in different scales and dimensions. It erodes trust among citizens and
better still, within its apostles and perpetrators. Corruption consumes its own
gladiators and beneficiaries (yes with time).
Again, is
the situation with Nigeria irredeemable? This question arises from the fact
that successive administrations in Nigeria had vaunted willingness to tackle
corruption headlong but instead, the menace had grown in leaps and bound
particularly under the current leadership.
The two
organs of government (The Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the
Independent Corrupt Practices Commission) set up by the Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo’s administration primarily to combat corruption have now become
puppets. Besides, they are now publically ridiculed, scorned at and frustrated
first by the band of corrupt men and women in government, and also the legal
system. The former simply laugh at these machinery of state indicating at every
turn that “the band is more relevant, needful and closer to the caucus of the
current administration.”
Ordinarily,
the gamut of corruption in Nigeria today, being so visible and palpable across
the public and private sectors, should be a source of concern to any
well-meaning Nigerian. What touches me more however is the extent to which
depravity has ravaged the land so much so, that there is no elder to whom the
young could look up to for ethical and moral standard, counsel or encouragement
for, several complaints in the past never attracted a reprimand against
offenders.
Is it that
the senses with which to perceive these things are dead, inactive, or simply
overwhelmed? A keen search through the six geo-political zones that make up
Nigeria shows a principled, unblemished compatriot could not be located. “Aah”
where are they whose heads of grey offer wisdom and point the way? Men nurtured
in truth, toughened and driven by inward hunger for righteousness who would not
exchange their garments of probity, uprightness and forthrightness for filthy
lucre?
Viewed
holistically, one is sometimes tempted to visit again and again, the statement
credited to Fredrick Lord Lugard in 1926 (The Dual Mandate). The first
Governor-General of Nigeria under the British Colonial Administration wrote in
his analysis of Nigerians in particular and Africans in general; “the character
and temperament of the typical African of this race type is a happy,
thriftless, excitable person. Lacking in self-control, discipline and foresight...... He lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in
management and control alike of men or business. He loves the display of power
but fails to realize its responsibility. . .”
Dissecting
these Lugard’s observations objectively and dispassionately especially in the
light of the state of Nigeria today, it is worthy of note that 87 years
afterward, his views were still accurate and infallible. They capture or
reflect the lots of leaders currently in government and the civil service
(local, state and federal levels), not living out captains of industries,
chieftains of political party system and religious organizations.
Will Lugard’s views remain forever? To this I say “No” and “No”, because there is still “the remnant”, kept, nurtured and graced by the Lord God Almighty to represent His will and way in the New Nigeria.
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