 Published
April 20th, 2010
Apart from the game of football, one other
thing that unites Nigerian citizens is the war against
corruption. It has been generally accepted that corruption
is evil and responsible for the nation’s gross
underdevelopment. With the high amount of human and material
resources abound in the country, it is believed that Nigeria
was supposed to be counted among the first twenty
industrialised nations on earth. Despite the deep conviction
about the negative effects of corruption on Nigeria, cases
of graft have continued to be on the sharp rise. The
situation is so bad that corruption has almost turned out to
be a national culture. For nearly two decades now, Nigeria
has been named among the ten most corrupt nations in the
world by internationally recognised anti-corruption
organisations. Apart impacting negatively on the country’s
image and integrity of her citizens abroad, this negative
tag has also slowed down Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) in
Nigeria.
There is no doubt about the strong desire of every incoming
administration in Nigeria to fight corruption. Somehow, this
desire has failed to curb the rise in cases of corruption
due to several factors. Chief among them is the crass
ignorance of the root causes of corruption in the country.
Correct diagnosis is very fundamental in finding cure for an
illness. The inability of successive administrations to cure
Nigeria of corruption can therefore be rightly attributed to
the shallow and narrow nature of the nation’s anti-graft
protocols. Presently, the war against corruption is mainly
anchored on the principles of investigation, arrest, and
prosecution of suspected offenders. This can be likened to
mowing a lawn. Sooner or later, the grass will grow again.
To effectively fight corruption, its roots must have to be
uprooted. The rise in cases of corruption is linked to a
number of fundamental factors. They include wrong social
orientation, poor
leadership culture, unemployment, poverty, tribalism, and
the lack of political will.
A nation is like an engine-less boat in the ocean. It would
need a team dedicated and experienced crew to sail it to
shore. Poor leadership culture has contributed to the
collapse of key public infrastructure and utilities in the
country. Nigeria has now become a popular reference point
during academic discourse on failed states. The nation’s
power, transport, health, educational, industrial, and
agricultural sectors are all in shambles. This has led to a
spontaneous weakening of the nation’s oil-based
socio-economic framework. Owing to these factors,
unemployment, poverty, and crime have been on a sharp rise
since about 1979.
The nation’s weak socio-economic framework has either
reduced or eliminated a number of platforms that would have
helped to expand the economy. This has voluntarily frozen
several opportunities to create jobs and legitimate wealth.
Nigerians are therefore forced to embrace sharp practices to
make ends meet. Unlike in the pre-colonial era when all
forms of corruption were seriously frowned at, people now
openly celebrate known corrupt citizens. While very many do
so because of poverty, others do it in order to secure
political power. Poverty has virtually turned Nigerians into
praise singers. Nigerians have found out that praise singing
is one sure way through which they could benefit from the
dividends of democracy. It is important to point out that
the rise in poverty level in Nigeria has negatively impacted
on the nation’s political culture. The few money-bags now
find it very convenient to manipulate the electoral system
and dictate who wins what
election. It is the electorates that hold the key to
credible elections. As long as poverty is still widespread
in Nigeria, the much talked about electoral reforms will
make no much difference.
Tribalism is another source through which the culture of
corruption is sustained in Nigeria. Owing to the deep
tribal-coated nature of Nigerian politics, citizens are
tempted to turn blind eyes when their tribesmen and women
are involved in corrupt practices. This is where the issue
of political will comes to play. For Nigeria to win the war
against graft, the presidency must show strong political
will by ensuring that the issue of “sacred cows” are
eliminated in the fight against corruption. This is the only
way the masses would develop confidence and support the
anti-graft agencies. Let what is good for a thief be good
for the rogue also.
One other lake that waters the roots of corruption in
Nigeria is the nation’s wrong social orientation. Men are
created naturally to be honoured and respected.
Unfortunately, the contemporary Nigerian society no longer
honour citizens based on their industry, intellect, or
integrity. Men are now recognised based on their movable and
immovable assets. That is the reason why a Nigerian would
own a fleet of fifteen choice cars and build or buy castles
in all major cities of the world. Up till now, no Nigerian
citizen has been conferred with national honour for not
dipping hands into government purse while in office. How can
Nigeria win the battle against corruption when citizens that
refuse to steal public funds are ridiculed and labelled
either as dullards or fools? The Nigerian society is never
polite, patient, or sympathetic with honest people. Except
some practical actions are taken to encourage sound moral
values in society, the war against
corruption will suffer severe blows.
But above all, the nation’s anti-graft legislations should
be designed to make corruption unattractive. Nigeria would
therefore need legislations that would compel citizens to
live within their verifiable means. Let it be unlawful for
any one (citizen and foreigner) to spend or invest up to N3m
and above without disclosing the sources of the money.
Furthermore, the nation’s anti-corruption legislations
should also be strict about tax crimes. It is a known fact
that a lot of Nigerians do not pay taxes and thereby robbing
government of huge revenues. The war against corruption in
Nigeria would experience a big boost if citizens are
compelled by legislations to live within their means.
Government must however do well to improve on the delivery
of public infrastructure and utilities.
The proposed anti-graft legislation should require every
person (citizen or foreigner) in Nigeria that wants to spend
or invest up to N3m and above to swear to an affidavit in a
competent law court, stating sources of the money. Certified
true copy of the sworn affidavit and tax clearance
certificate should then be filed with an appropriate
anti-graft agency for record purposes. Immediately following
this, the anti-graft agency will issue a Confirmation
Certificate with a unique number. This should be the only
condition upon which any person (citizen or foreigner) can
spend or invest up to N3m and above in Nigeria. It should
also be an offence for any individual or business
organisation to sell or lease properties, machineries, or
materials worth N3m and above without causing the
buyer/leaseholder to disclose the anti-corruption agency’s
Confirmation Certificate Number, which shall be written out
clearly in the payment receipt voucher.
This arrangement will make the job of the anti-corruption
agencies easier and faster too. While all of these may not
completely eradicate corruption in Nigeria, it will
definitely help make the culture of graft unattractive.
Nigeria will be better for it.
KALI GWEGWE
2, Greenvilla-Customs Link Road,
Biogbolo-Epie,
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
kaligwegwe@yahoo.com
0806 407 4810 |
