TACKLING CORRUPTION WITHOUT POLITICAL, ETHNIC, OR RELIGIOUS BIAS
Posted by Nneoma Okafor | 9 years ago | 3,579 times
Corruption they say is endemic in all governments, but that is not peculiar to any continent, region or ethnic group. It cuts across faiths, religious denominations and political systems old and affects both the old and young despite the gender.
Like George Orwell quoted in his popularly read book “Animal Farm”, All Animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than the others. Hence, corruption is not new, and neither is it peculiar to the Nigerian society. But it is however, pertinent to state that corruption is pandemic in Nigeria, stemming from the leaders to the followers.
With the shouts about corruption as a menace affecting all facets of Nigerian economy, one begins to wonder what really” corruption “means.
According to the English Dictionary, Corruption is the act of changing, or being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple or correct. It is also described as something that is evil, supposed to be good.
With the above definition, the question now is who is guilty of corruption? Is it the security man at the gate that denies you access to the boss, because who failed to part with something, popularly known as “rogger’ ?, the director or manager that denies you employment because you have a better degree?, the businessman/woman who gives you fake product in an original pack?, the pastor who lies to you in the name of prophecy to have your money?, or the politician who inflates and allocations to suit his personal excesses?, the list is simply endless, and its obvious a lot of us are guilty as charged, including I.
If then, this is the case, why do we see corruption through the Nigerian eyes of politicians carting away public funds alone?
The issue of corruption however, comes in diverse forms including political, bureaucratic, electoral, among others, and if we must tackle corruption, in Nigeria, is it possible to avoid ethnic, religious or political bias?
The media recently have been agog with reports of 33 selected ministers by the present administration, who were nominated and screened by the presidency for the ministerial position, of which only three scaled through, of the 33. We also got reports that five perspective Secretary to the Government of the Federation candidates all failed the integrity test.
While Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the indexes used for the screening, the questions have been who and who were corrupt free and from what planet? The ones found guilty of corruption, have they been asked to’ go and sin no more’? After all, the Christians Holy book, says “he that is without sin, should be the first to cast the stone”, by the time Jesus was done writing on the ground, he raised His head to find everyone was gone. What did it depict? Everyone shouting crucify him, crucify him, were guilty after all.
In his column, titled ‘Buhari: two months after (2)’, on Daily Sun of August 5, Steve Nwosu in his Frank Talk , urged the President to lower the “cut-off mark” for this his integrity thing, if he genuinely desires to recruit ministers from this planet earth.
While the wait continues and the clock keeps ticking faster with two months already down the drains, Nigerians especially those from the South East are already feeling side-lined owing to bias of some sort, which many say may affect the federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution.
But for someone like I, whose duty is to serve as a watchdog to the society, I think that the best approach to fighting corruption is to begin from home. You don’t put a new wine in an old wineskin and expect a new taste. The President must begin with members of his party and do away with party sentiments. Having said he will probe only former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, which also contradicts his words on not taking it lightly in the fight against corruption including members of his party is simply witch-hunting. But come to think of it, most of his delegates to the US were basically part of this to be probed administration, and with the US saying they will give us the names of those Nigerian oil looters, what if they are culpable? Will the corruption shout continue? Nigerians are watching…
While we try to cast the stones on our leaders, past and present, let us always realize that ‘he that must come to equity, must come with clean hands’. That does not mean I support corruption, neither am I against its fight in Nigeria, but suffice it to say that, if we must fight political, bureaucratic or electoral corruption in the country, we must put aside party, affiliations, ethnic sentiments and religious idiosyncrasies.
The appointment of the new GMD of the NNPC, Emmanuel Kachikwu, a first class material in all ramifications from the private sector has made some think CHANGE mantra as shouted by his party is visible. Well, a good appointment for me so far.
While we see him as the long awaited “Nigerian Messiah”, like a friend asked me sometime, is the “Messiah” really serious about fighting corruption? Where do we begin from? Past? From where? Only Goodluck Jonathan’s administration? What happens to the ‘Accountant Generals error” during Abacha’s regime? Halliburton? Is just about oil? Education, Transport, Agriculture, real estate, and other sectors of the economy nko? They funds were looted by PDP and APC, plus other party stalwarts. Questions begging for answers are just too many, and if we must achieve the long walk to end corruption, political, religious and ethnic bias must be set aside.
One thing however, should be understood; that tackling corruption in Nigeria begins with you and I. we have failed in our fight against corruption in the country, because those fighting the war are themselves corrupt. The experiments with the judicial commissions of enquiry, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Public Complaints Commission, among others have yielded no effective results.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission, ICPC, seem to be barking dogs that do not bite. Yet, they parade themselves as anti-graft agencies.
We must at this point understand that fighting corruption is a collective responsibility, just like security is. Politicians should be able to draw a thin line between politics and governance. Ethnicity as a major killer of the Nigerian society be buried and everyone seen as one. Equal opportunities should be given to everyone despite your religious, political or ethnic affiliations, under the umbrella of ONE NIGERIA. What should matter is competence and efficiency, not party, religion or ethnic group. Nepotism must be dealt with drastically. We must realize that we are first of all Nigerians before any other thing.
A country where “though tongue and tribe differ, in unity we stand”. A nation where the value of ethnic and religious beliefs exist. Where the rule of law is supreme. Where truth prevails. Only then can the fight against corruption in Nigeria begin.
Till then, will the present administration make good its promise of curbing corruption in the society? After all, what the elders see sitting down, the young can’t see standing. Only time will tell.
-Nneoma Okafor wrote from Aba
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