Nigeria, Corruption And Politics

One of the basic impediments that has constantly plunged the Nigerian national growth, apart from the infuriating lip service being paid to social engineering over the years is the prevalence of corruption in almost every strata of the Nigerian Nation.

Between 1979/1983 for instance, irrespective of the fact that Nigeria was at that time blessed with technocrats, strategists and political gladiators with uncommon values and at the same time, burning with national ideals, the Second Republic hasten to collapse owing largely to the viral infectious and interminable corrupt tendencies which was beyond measure. Ever since, the unpalatable tale has never been better.

However, the military are quick to receive the knocks for not allowing politicians make their mistakes and learn the democratic and civil ropes. The irony here is that Nigeria as a nation is faster to forget and slower to learn. We forget so soon to realize the conspiracy of some sort that Nigerian politicians, apart from inviting the military to the saddle by their corrupt activities, taught them the looting freak and sit-tightism in governance.

In the last decade or so, following the rejuvenation of democratic civility, corruption has again become the rule rather than the exception. At all levels of the Nigeria federating units, obvious and intermittent cases abounds where corrupt manipulations are nationally celebrated. From the energy sector where several billions of dollars have been committed without positive result or power to show for it; to the health sector, education to transport; e.g. Railway Corporation where over N90 billion was alleged to have been spent and yet Nigerians can neither see the rails not to talk of the trains.

Very recently, 21 ex-governors in the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration were linked with over N120 billion assets by the ICPC. Secondly, prior to the institution of the EFCC and ICPC in the immediate past administration, it was asserted by the IMF and other international financial institutions that few politicians in Nigeria, looted, possess hidden abroad, equivalent of what it took to rebuild Europe after the World War II. To this fact, no question was and has been raised, except for the drama of arraigning some ex-governors and other political orphans in Black Maria, appearing in courts and later granted bail in the instant. In other words, corruption and its ancillaries appear to have been so entrenched even in the highest quarters of governance.

Without doubt, however, political organization in Nigeria have collapsed and in absolute disarray with no visible focus and direction. The Niger-Delta crisis is intensified daily and almost going out of hand. No thanks to corruption and docility of policies that are not capable of affecting conviction, as well as impacting on the physical and social wellbeing. The energy sector even before 1999 has been a complete failure because of corrupt practices. Even eleven years after, there Nigeria is still at a loss of what to do. The education sector is presently adjudged substandard before the international community and currently fallowing in a sorry state because of greed and corruption. Roads constructed in Nigeria go bad within months due to corruption, substandard execution and incompetence. The health sector is in a palpable dysfunction owing to sharp practices. The refineries in the country for over three decades now have been functioning below installed capacity because of corrupt and sharp practices.

In Nigeria, when contracts are awarded and 75% of the contract sum paid as mobilization fee, the projects in most cases are shoddily executed or completely abandoned with no supervision from the appropriate quarters. The reason for this is better imagined. Nigeria cannot conveniently feed 25% of her population, after committing yearly, billions of money into fertilizers and other agricultural complements. Poverty and hunger in Nigeria have been perpetuated and thus, has reached unprecedented level with no genuine and deliberate efforts to halt or reverse such trend. What has corruption and its sharp practices not done to this country? Its spill over effects is the way and manner crimes are committed in this country. Million of our young, intelligent and vibrant youths and even the elderly are leaving this country for perceived greener pasture abroad due to lack and want for survival. And this has not touch the conscience of our political leaders as a challenge.

Without belabouring specifics, corruption in itself is evil. It retards progress and distort good neighbourliness. It creates apprehension, greed and insensitivity on the part of the culprits. It has made us hungry in the midst of plenty. It encourages mediocrity instead of merit. It perpetuates unemployment, prostitution, armed robbery and several other vices. Close to 100,000 graduate from Nigeria Higher Institutions every year with no hope of gainful employment and legitimate means of survival. Yet the few and the ‘favoured’ at the corridors of power, are exuding profusely with ill-gotten wealth, openly being displayed here at home and abroad.

For instance, until very recently, no public officer in Nigeria, including the President by virtue of his public office, earned upto N500,000.00 as wage or salary. This, excluding other provisions like security vote which in real sense are not personal incomes and thus deemed to be returned when not utilized. Let’s assume all the political executives were or are earning N500,000.00 each as salary for four years or eight years as the case may be. This would amount to N24,000,000.00 or N48,000.00 for four and eight years respectively. Let’s also assume noting is spent out of the salary for the period or tenure of office. A particular politician for instance would have been at most, including allowances, be N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) richer when leaving office. But in reality, when the calculation is done, especially based on what the EFCC and ICPC have been telling the people, the corrupt nature of majority of our politicians compare to what they are worth in and out of office stand catastrophic and better left unsaid. The story is mind-boggling and extremely detrimental to the growth and development of the Nigeria nation. The point being made here is that all the excess accumulation and ill-gotten wealth in whatever guise can be positively channeled into massive industrialization and in turn, Nigeria economy will be bolstering and our collective heritage, equitably distributed.

When a draft bill was recently sent to the National Assembly by the EFCC, to oust public officers’ immunity as guaranteed by Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, my heart was gladdened. I felt exhilarated not just because of the exigency against the corrupt-prone system we are operating as encouraged by the Immunity Clause, but also because the bill seeks to make assets forfeiture retroactive under its civil forfeiture legal mechanism that will affect anybody connected with the unlawful acquisition of public or private property.

Unfortunately however, even before the consideration of that bill could take off in the National Assembly, the Upper House - Senate – that is suppose to be at the vanguard of strengthening the mechanism against corruption through the enactment of justiceable laws, is enmeshed in deep controversy in the regard. To this end, the 2005 and 2006 Annual Reports of the EFCC, ‘which details, among others, the investigation of allegations of corruption against some serving and former governors and other political leaders in the country as submitted by Malam Nuhu Ribadu were alarmed to be missing.

In civlised nations, permit the sarcasm, such tragedy of missing reports, is enough to attract wrath and stir scandalous probe to the extent that all those associated with it will be thrown out or are made to resign with ignominy. Rather than sanction such people in Nigeria, they are deliberately protected with immunity clause, fiat and executive de facto; even while out of office. This is extremely painful. It is at this stage that personalities of Nuhu Ribadu and the Present boss of EFCC, Farida should be highlighted. Although their personalities may be different, the goal, as stipulated by the instrument that was set up the EFCC is suppose to be the same irrespective of the person in charge.

No group in Nigeria has been particularly lucky and opportune like the politicians. This is because, they have had countless opportunity to stir the Nigerian-ship and positively redirect its potentials for collective destiny. Instead, they are bizarrely obsessed with greed and desire to wreck the ship whenever they are remembered that Nigeria belongs to us all.

This is why no critical knocks will be enough on the corrupt Nigerian politicians. Rather than developing high intellect in nation building, they design, manifest and entrench corrupt tendencies even at the least expected places and occasions.

It is a fact that politicians are not alone in this unholy act that has fast eaten this country to its essence. They are particularly guilty owing to the fact that they execute policies. As a result, no chief executive that is corrupt-free can develop the congenial tacitum to stomach a corrupt subordinate whom the instrument of governance has necessitated the authority to discipline and even negotiate his/her exit when proven to be corrupt.

It is no longer news that Nigerians are suffering in the midst of plenty, and that the endowed blessings of nature are turning into a curse because of recklessness and squander. This can be changed for the better. We as a nation deserve a new lease of leverage. All we need to do to achieve this, is transparency, honesty, credibility, intelligence, focus, vision, dedication, commitment and above all, patriotism to our fatherland. This will not only help the present generation, but generations yet unborn.