I was in a conversation with a friend a few days ago. The fellow asked angrily, ‘Is Nigeria cursed? Why is it that Nigeria is so rich yet our people are so poor and suffering?’ I responded, corruption and bad governance, simple. It was that discussion I had with this friend that has led me to do this write-up. Nigeria is known worldwide to be among the richest countries in the world but very unfortunately, her people lavish in abject poverty, suffering all manner of diseases and sickness, and backwards on infrastructural development yet, her political elites are VERY wealthy. No thanks to corruption and bad governance unleashed on the country by this generation of political leaders.
Nigeria is described as one of the failed states in the world. Though, it is open for debate. The country does not lack intelligent men and women, and highly educated citizens. Nigeria does not lack mineral, economic and financial resources but, we are a country suffering from poor leadership, a country whose leaders swim conveniently in corruption. The corruption and bad governance among our leaders have completely wiped away any modicum of respect from the outside world. Corrupt or sharp practices are now seen as ways of life in Nigeria. Since 1999, when the country returned to democracy, the executive and legislative arms of government have perfected criminal windows at looting the treasury with impunity.
Many have declared that Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves are so enormous to transform her economy if only well managed. But, since the discovery of oil and gas in the country back in the 1950s, the Nigerian people’s living conditions have worsened. It is all due to the corruption and bad governance woven around the system. Today, in Nigeria, our crude is taken outside, refined and shipped back for local consumption. No oil-producing country does this. None of our four refineries are working. They are all comatose. The only reason why these refineries are not working can be traced to corruption and bad governance visited on the country by our leaders past and present.
Our electricity is in a very terrible shape. There is no light anywhere in Nigeria. The people are charged for what they never consumed. From Kafanchan to Ilorin to Maiduguri, Umuahia to Benin to Badagry, Ogoja to Asaba to Ikire, the story of our electricity is the same – darkness everywhere. It is only in Nigeria that people pay for electricity tariffs they never consumed. If we must fight corruption then it must be all-encompassing. Every sector and individual must be made to answer for any wrongdoing. It is difficult but that is the way to go. The recent budget padding allegation, levelled against the senate by a member of theirs is an act of corruption that should have been investigated, findings made public and culprits made to face punishment. But this is Nigeria, where we have untouchable men and women in power. The soft landing provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the senate members only emboldened the perpetrators of the budget padding more.
The enemies of Nigeria according to the 1966 revolutionaries, remain the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places who seek bribes and demand 10 percent, and those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs. Nigeria cannot survive its economic pain, and arrest its fall until we decide to fight corruption to a standstill. No country on earth can have ever survived monumental corruption. Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs Betta Edu and her predecessors, are involved in a financial scandal. That they are roaming the streets of Nigeria free is disturbing. That is certainly not the way to fight corruption. The EFCC claimed to have recovered about N30 billion that the ministers diverted to private accounts. Why the agency is pussyfooting on arresting and prosecuting these women for their financial recklessness while in office is mind-boggling, this kind of measure sends the wrong signal to the outside world that we are not a serious country. In other climes, Mrs Edu and all those involved in such fleecing would have gone for tutorials at our Correctional Home.
The EFCC appears to be full of energy in tracking, arresting and prosecuting cybercrime offenders. They quickly display their muscles on Bobrisky and others for spraying naira notes at occasions. But they develop cold feet and remind us of laws going after the political criminals. What has happened to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu and the corrupt allegations hanging on their neck? What would happen to Alhaji Ganduje, his wife and associates? It is the political criminals that have pulled the country down to its knees. The commission and its Chair must brace up and go after the political criminals more because they are the country’s real albatross. Not long after, Customs was in the news for corruption cases. About N12 billion was traced to the private accounts of its officers. One officer alone had about N9billion in his account. The EFCC or ICPC have not ensured that these fellows answer to their misdeeds. The story so far has been swept under the carpet. All the Customs officers are back to their duty post like nothing happened. What a way to fight corruption!
History made it clear that Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan are some of the countries Nigeria were in the same frequency back in the day, but have left Nigeria in developmental achievements. While Nigeria’s leaders are driven majorly by pecuniary interest, the leaders of the three countries above are driven by patriotism and love for the country. In Nigeria, since 1999, no former president, vice president, minister, lawmaker, or Governor, has not become an instant billionaire. How would Nigeria move forward?
The corrupt practices by the political elites have erected the growing impoverishment among the masses. It is corruption and bad governance that has destroyed every sector of the country. Mr President must truly fight corruption if he indeed wants to succeed. The EFCC and ICPC should be encouraged and fully empowered to fight corruption without blinking an eye. The recent audit report of the Auditor-General reveals monumental looting of our treasury. The report indicted about 28 ministries, departments and agencies of government for spending N13.95 trillion without any authorisation. The country can crumble, and these corrupt officials could care less.
The President must not allow this report to go. There has to be questions and answers. The anti-graft agencies must bring all past and present government officials found wanting to book. We are heading nowhere as a country until we decide to kill corruption. Mr President must not look away, he must hit the political criminals hard to save Nigeria from imminent collapse.
Written by Uzodinma Nwaogbe
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