By Adeola Aderounmu.

You have read about this several times, I know. Writers, critics and the civil society have proffered solutions too BUT nothing or very little has changed. Nigeria is still corrupt! Counter critics say that they are tired of reading our problems, they want solutions. What kinds of solution do we want to proffer again?

It seems to me that the best way to keep our unreliable and unelected politicians in shape is to continuously remind them of their grave and unacceptable shortcomings and that millions of Nigeria are still very are angry, hungry and unhappy with the way things are being handled.

These public administrators and officials are present in all levels of the government and so is corruption. Public administration is supposed to be about service to the citizens of the country, some of the many careers in this field are explained on this public administration degree site. If the officials that serve and communicate with the public are corrupt, what hope is there for the government and country as a whole? Indeed, corruption is a worldwide phenomenon and no country in the world is free from it but it varies in degree and intensity. It also varies on its impacts on the general population.

Many Nigerians observe foreign news with keen attention and they try to discern the truths from fallacies. Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the world is a popular expression that one comes by anytime one reads or listens to news about Nigeria in the western press. That Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the world is actually a fallacy. The correct comment is that Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world. Else, what have been the effects of anticorruption crusade in Nigeria since the veil of immunity left the last sets of looters? By the way, one patriotic Nigerian, not Oprah, wrote recently in the Punch newspaper that
All Nigerians are corrupt How about that?

The only solution to eradicating or minimizing corruption in Nigeria is to punish ALL living and serving offenders. For more than 47 years now it has been difficult to prosecute quite reasonably well any of the key players who have aided the demeaning of Nigeria. From the first republic to the fourth or fifth and through all the reigns of absolute dictatorship and tyranny, only on one or two occasions were allegedly corrupt politicians hypocritically sent to jail en-mass. But what the military did immediately after those pretentious acts was absolutely way of it-they looted and milk the country to dryness. Eventually, corruption became not only organized and institutionalized but also an acceptable was of life. Our fellow NIGERIAN Chukwudi, in a recent post, gave a chronological account of corruption in Nigeria

If a country is credited with the worst election in human history, it can only be possible if that country is the most corrupt in the world. Otherwise, how do you categorize, in the absence of any election, the occupation of thousands of political offices from the level of ineffectual local government chairmen to that of a power-drunk presidency across a landscape of over 900 000 km sq?. I don’t think any country in the world (today) is competing with Nigeria at this level of charade, scandal, idiocy and shamelessness. Nigeria is a remarkable country thriving on a dirty home grown version of conventional democracy.

I have been to a number of places and countries in the last 6 years of my life and at no time have I followed global news than this period of my life. I have never seen any country in the world where the anticorruption agencies do so very little while making so much noise. I have never seen anywhere in my life where a self-styled so called chief law enforcer in any country apply the rule or ruse of law to the detriment of the society at large. I have never seen where such a fellow uses unnecessary delay tactics or abnormal protocols to obstruct or deny due justice. The Attorney General of Nigeria enjoys more popularity than all Nigerian politicians together including the lukewarm president for the wrong reasons .

Nigeria is one of the very few countries in the world where a politician can steal or loot more than 20 billion dollars and walk free and the only place where such a looter can be a presenter or key speaker at a function organized by Nigerian writers. That will definitely confirm the allegations that many Nigerian writers are indirectly busy writing for or on behalf of corrupt politicians and looters who are directly killing the citizenry slowly and steadily. Conscience remains the greatest judge of all time. Nigeria is the only country in the world where state governors will build or buy several houses abroad while leaving no trace of housing foundations in their own domains in Nigeria. I have never seen (in my entire life) where a mayor for example develops a foreign country while the local citizens suffer. Our politicians are remarkable. England does not have to
worry or fear. after failing to reach the EURO 2008 finals. We will send ONLY one of our governors to pump 2 billion pounds into their economy. Chicken change!

England’s economy is being taunted by the fear of parting with a paltry sum of 2 million pounds in 2008 only. Very interesting! Does anyone know how much Nigerian politicians loot monthly while we are pursuing mirage of economic rejuvenations? If Sweden is looted a quarter of the same way as Nigeria, all the 9 million inhabitants will be penniless and the world acclaimed social system will suffer a fatal fate. A Swedish lady visited Nigerian during the Tafa saga. Today, she is yet to recover from the shock of that mild but shameful revelation about the looting police boss. If anyone tells her how much some key looters have stolen in Nigeria, she will suffer a heart attack, instantly. Paradoxically, Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world where politicians will be mocked if they didn’t become rich while serving . .

A typical Nigerian is corrupt and highly opportunistic. It is a reflection of the rot and decadence of governance that has always lacked probity and accountability. If we have done appropriate justice (as the solution in this case) to all previous looters and thieves, perhaps this mentality would have been eroded for long. But we have not and we are still not carrying justice appropriately, so the mentality that I must steal, loot and plunder remains inherent and lingers.

There is no point writing forever about what you already know. We conducted the worst election of all time, we glorify politicians who steal from us and we therefore encourage armed robbers in their own evil ways. We paid assassins as little as 10 000 naira to take invaluable lives. For every little misdeed we propagate in our professional or occupational endeavors, we add to the pile of rubbish created by the greedy politicians and looters. Indeed for every unpunished corrupt politician, millions of souls are sent to everlasting penury in Nigeria. Millions of people have lived and died in Nigeria knowing nothing but poverty! Additionally, corruption in Nigeria has taken a new dimension. After years of speculations, foreigners are now finally confirmed as part and parcel of the menace in Nigeria. The corrupt SIEMENS have rekindled the burning flame of corruption in Nigeria. So is the involvement of unnamed SHELL workers in the celebrated WILLBROS scandal. Nigerians are waiting anxiously to know the names of the foreigners who are helping to propagate corruption in our land. They must be named too!

Truth does not change, it remains bitter! In my own very personal opinion, Nigeria is the most fertile country for corruption to thrive. The consequences are numerous including the 60-90 million people/family that will groan today while surviving on less than 1 dollar for the next 24 hours. But Nigerians are still happy people no doubts, having reasons to celebrate sports, arts, banks, western union, American thanksgiving, religions, births and deaths among other things. All these show that we still have hopes but with handicaps like EFCC and the office of the attorney general and a tepid illegal presidency, help is not near, it’s not even in sight. Hoping is not enough; we need to do something to actualize all the solutions overflooding in the books! How can we go about this?

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Are you in doubt if Nigeria is the most corrupt country or do you think my views are unpatriotic? Then please give me the answers to the following question

Just a few questions….and maybe I’m wrong with the headline.   

1.       Which country is credited with the WORST Selection in human history?

 2.       How many countries in the world are political offices occupied over an area of 900 000 km sq. without any election?

3.       Regarding question 2, what other phenomenon apart from corruption (or is more important than corruption) that can aid such a hopeless possibility?

4.       Name another country in the world where someone stole more than 20 million dollars and still had the gut to seek re-election WITHOUT having answered in any way whatsoever for past misdeeds (which also include murder of innocent citizens among which is a reputable journalist)?

5.       Name 2 countries in the world that the anticorruption agencies go global to make noise while doing little or nothing at all?

6.       Name 2 countries in the world where the AGs are openly known worldwide for delaying (under the guise of ruse of law) investigation and prosecution of looters?

7.       Name one other country in the world apart from Nigeria where the AG is an open enemy of the Financial Crime Commission and yet became the AG particularly for that reason in the first place?

8.       Name one country in the world where the former minister of transport had the worst road leading from the business capital to his hometown?

9.       Name one other country in the world that has failed over a period of half a century to successfully prosecute a handful of looters (and the looters have not been on exile)?

10.   Name 2 countries in the world where plea bargaining is an alternative to prosecution?

11.   In which country is one man stronger and more powerful than 150m others put together?

12.   In which country in the world can 150m people be disenfranchised without stress?

13.   Regarding number 11 and 12, if not corruption (what is the source of this anomaly or the man’s power)?

14.   Regarding 11-13, the 2 men openly known to have brought about number 12 are still alive, name 2 countries where such men can be walking free on the streets without facing justice?

15.   If not corruption, why should they be free men? What other phenomenon could be responsible for their freedom?