Corruption according to online English dictionary means dishonest, illegal, or immoral behavior, especially from someone with power. Muhammadu Buhari, the 4th democratic President of Nigeria defined corruption as the greatest form of human right violation.
While according to Nigerian man understanding corruption is an illegal use of power or office to divert or misuse government, or public property or even to maltreat, harass and cheat others not of equal in rank. Corruption in Nigeria can be seeing in and at every sector small or big in size or in rank.
Due to the high practice of corruption in almost every sector in Nigeria, it is viewed as something that is common and normal, so many consider it as a tradition and term it as Kola (Na Fura or Ladan aiki).
The irony here is that corruption is everywhere! Even though, the masses suffer the most but still they are not ready to let go of corruption.
Citing example with educational institutions from primary level to higher institution, corruption starts here! A classroom teacher favors only those children that do their breakfast shopping with her, and best graduating student awarded to the child whose father supports the school financially in one way or the other.
Flashing back to our secondary schools, what a put off!! In public schools, a student could spend five (5) to eight years (8) struggling hard to pass WAEC and NECO Examination but to scale through is difficult.
Going to private schools where all the sons of rich men and government officials attend, a least dormant of your street could pass the exams in one shot but when he is asked to find X in simple Algebraic equation that would be same as asking him to find the leader of Boko Haram! Coming to the higher institution, if I am asked to describe the level of corruption in students’ activities such as politics and so on, then I would be speechless in short of words.
Only few among them are saint but almost all are corrupts with the face of devil claiming not but the current leaders are corrupts and when given the chance on campus only do worse than our leaders of today.
I am to start my final year examination today but ASUU embarks on in an indefinite strike! What a nation… This is also corruption, the money they are demanding may be in someone’s safe, but nobody cares because they have stolen our money and their children are busy enjoying good and qualitative education under favorable atmosphere and learning environment.
This is cheat!!
Picturing our main roads, police are position to check the legal and safe movement of peoples, goods and services for security purposes, but all they ended up doing is collecting the highest paid money N50; one could pass the checking point with someone’s head in his boot without being checked once the so called bribe amount is paid.
Taking a clear image of the top government officials, those are backbone of corruption in Nigeria, they have turned public funds and resources into national cake where everyone get his share and go. It was reported by Daily post on July 2nd, 2016 that “Nigeria has lost $400 billion oil revenue to corruption since independence”.
During the last administration (Jonathan’s administration) $2 billion arm deal funds got missing!! Corruption has caused us a lot, we enjoy no equal justice, our economy is always not stable, and our roads are rough and dusty claiming lives and properties hour by hour, no job opportunities, students have turned to beggars, light is like a thunder, proper health care is not there, factions here and there ranging from tribal, religious and regional, in fact peoples are lackadaisically working like encyclopedia of a dying soul, in short poverty is in everybody’s slip gown.
WAY FORWARD WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION
War – fighting between two or more countries or between two opposing groups within a country involving large numbers of soldiers.
War against means struggle over a long period of time to control something harmful. Many efforts have been put in to tackle corruption by different administration since the reign of democratic but things always get worse and people lost confidence and hope.
It was of recent that God sent messiah to Nigerians and hopes and trusts were revived and rebuilt and finally he was seen as a problems solver, peoples almost have forgotten that he is a human being like them.
He is nobody but President Muhammadu Buhari, during his campaign in 2015 he vowed to fight against corruption and insecurity if elected, so he said and he emerged, war against corruption remain one of his topmost priority after insecurity.
From the inception of his administration giant strides have said to have been made in tackling corruption, billions of looted money were recovered and at the same time Nigeria was said to be in economic recession as such many Nigerians haven’t seen a positive impact of the recovery.
Yet, experts and prominent politician have accused Buhari’s war against corruption of being selective.
Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary General to the Federal Government of Nigeria said “Buhari’s anti-corruption war is selective and getting out of hand”. Even though Falae was named as one of the beneficiaries of $2billion arms deal.
Alh. Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, a former Governor of Kaduna State also accused Buhari of being selective where he asked him to probe his military regime if he is serious on anti-corruption war. While some others like Dr. Friedric Fasehun advised him to shun selective justice and focus on national development and good governance.
Well, in my focal point of view, I am seeing Buhari’s war against corruption as successful from the onset, but question of whether it is successful or not should be answered by the EFCC boss who does not even know the actual amount of money recovered! Could this be termed as corruption also? The simple way forward in tackling corruption in Nigeria is by restructuring our political, educational institutions and others.
Labor wages should be standardized in such a way that local, state or federal government worker would not be taken away with any amount coming across his way.
If such is not taking into account, I guess we are just adding catalyst to corruption. How would you expect someone with N70k salary monthly to carter for his needs and families own? Why won’t he collect bribe of N50k to overcome other challenges that his salary won’t meet up.
Another important way is by regulating market commodities in such a way that a least paid monthly wage could circulate through the month end satisfying for the basic needs. Unemployment is another problem; provision of job opportunities is another means for tackling corruption.
Provision of adequate social amenities is another gargantuan problem, if social amenities are provided in such a way that almost every Nigerian has access to, then by gradual so doing corruption would certainly be a history.
So many a times peoples tend to steal public funds to have what their funds could not provide, only a few steal for greediness.
These are only my views!
