Will Nigeria Ever Be A Corrupt-Free Country?

Will Nigeria Ever Be A Corrupt-Free Country?

The world is concerned about the appalling effects of corruption and how corruption is among the problems increasing the terrible effects of poverty. A report by the World Bank on corruption describes the activity as one of the most serious obstacles facing the world and it impedes the sustainable development goal. Nigeria is sitting at number 144 in the world Corruption Perception Index published annually by Transparency International.

It was alleged that someone, a former INEC chief, ate a bribe from opposition party leader and sold the 2015 votes to the opposition party. The party becomes the leading political party that is currently ruling. Has corruption gone so deep that the decision of millions of Nigerians can just be bought with a few billions of naira? How could millions of Nigerians watch their stake being carted away by a couple of individuals who are materially wealthy? Is this not a full blown effect of ignorance starring at us?

Now the official is living ostentatiously while millions of Nigerians are walloping in poverty. What a huge price to pay for ignorantly allowing a few individuals to steal what belongs to the public.

Many people in Nigeria think that the problems facing the country are caused by everything else but high-quality school education system. It is easy to lay the blames of the terrible state of Nigeria to corruption done by the populace.

Corruption is much glaring and easy to see even though it is usually done in secret and out deep ignorance. People are prone to connive with unscrupulous members in the government offices to embezzle public funds or to buy their way into selfish-resulting favors.

Politicians are seen flaunting material things acquired from ill-gotten means of stealing from the common pool. The activities in the public sector are shrouded in secrecy as financial resources are misappropriated, and a huge number of funds go into the pockets of politicians with their cronies unaccounted for. 

Public servants are unscrupulous and manipulative, they collect and give bribes.

The citizens do things without regards to credibility. Most Nigerians would certify their selfish desire for material things without minding their image. And Nigerians place money above person, even above their individual self.

 Nigerians believe that if the element of corruption is miraculously corrected, then, the nation would see economic progress. This now drives us back to the question heading this passage: Will Nigeria ever be corrupt-free country?

To deal on the subject of corruption, the proper understanding of the subject is essential. A time not too long, a Nigerian leader once said that stealing is not corruption. 

At that time I disagreed with that statement, for I thought stealing of public funds is mainly what that word corruption referred to. I know that a number of people would agree that the statement of stealing not corruption is wrong. 

But a different point of view might have a lasting impression on your mind. 

Jimanze Ago Alowez, the author of “Corruption in Africa: Resolution Through New Diagnosis” gave a vivid description of what corruption is. 

He said that corruption is the abuse of power, and it is like a force which makes things move — if a force is abused, it becomes corrupt and its repercussion becomes manifest. 

Just like the electrical power, the flow of current is useful and valuable, but if it is abused by short-circuiting, it becomes deadly. So too, every individual is a source of power; however, some with responsibilities of leading have a greater concentration of power. Thus, for the smooth running and smooth functioning of the whole system, there must be a balancing of power aggregation so that individuals with an extra-power function would not subjugate or intimidate the less powerful.

Hence the need for checks and balances. The abuse of the structural system to undermine others is what corruption is. To co-opt, and to take improper advantage of others.

So stealing is a function of underlying corruption of the power system. In another angle, a thieve would not steal if a system is corruption proof. Corruption like ignorance is a factor of darkness and secrecy. A certain anecdote to darkness is light or enlightenment of the mind.

Create transparency, create accountability, create togetherness, create an inter-working relationship of the human family, and see corruption varnish. Aggregate power through sound school education to every child and help them become well enlightened sentient humans, then, see the darkness of the mind disappear along with the environment that encourages corruption.

A school system that would develop strong writing skills, strong mathematics skills, hands-on experiments with multi-science skills, multi-language skills, multi-sports skills, multi-games skills, multi-creative arts skills, computer skills, and on to every Nigerian child would help to create the future of humans they can proffer solutions to their problems and the problems humans face.

Then the need to tarnish once image through dishonest means would become a thing of the past. If there is a high quality of education, no Nigerian would allow an individual to take undue advantage of the greater masses by stealing from the common purse. 

Well-educated people would take serious steps to nab corrupt individuals in offices. So it would be difficult for individuals to use the scarce fund designated for public projects for personal enterprise. There would be structural parameters that protect public officials from laying their hands on the public fund or to sabotage the proper working of the system due to selfish gains.

Yes, Nigeria can be free of corrupt practices when the education sector becomes high quality. At that time, individuals would be enlightened enough to know what a smooth running system is and how it can be achieved. At that time, well-educated individuals would work to strengthen the system so that they and their future generation would live in the environment they dream about.