Adeola Aderounmu

The < Nigerian Light House ) will join in the marking of the UN Anticorruption day.
Now, this is a delicate issue…..yes it is.
How sincere is the UN in the establishment of this campaign? That question should be a BIG debate in the public arena considering all the injustices going on around the world which bother on corruption. But I’ll leave that, it’s global, it’s huge.

How should anti-corruption campaign be marked in Nigeria?
Nigerians (as in the civil society) should mark this day on Dec 9 and on other days probably the last Friday of every month!!!

Yes it is that necessary for Nigeria. I will not speak for Bangladesh, Haiti or any other country. I speak on behalf of my country only where possibly 90m people will sleep tonight without the security of waking up to a breakfast.

Our Politicians are so corrupt and selfish that I think a sustained mass action has become imperative so that corrupt people like Babangida, Ibori, Obasanjo and Odili among other should be made to answer for their corrupt practices.

If Nigerians stay away from work every last Friday of the month demanding on each occasion the investigation or prosecution of one or two corrupt politicians, I think in 5 years time, we would have succeeded by a gradual process to put the guilty ones in jail.

The eventual investigation, prosecution and sentencing of corrupt leaders will serve as a deterrent for others who are going into politics to steal and loot. The effect will also be felt in public service as everyone will now know that their ineptitudes and corruption are no longer tolerated.

GRADUALLY, sanity will return to Nigeria and by 2011 we will be able to conduct a more credible election as the riggers and cheaters in the past would have been drilled or perhaps serving jail terms for crimes against humanity.

So, DEC 9, just one day out of life is not going to have any effect in Nigeria. Corruption in Nigeria (and in other places no doubt) is a very BIG UGLY MONSTER.
My proposal is a signal to the Labour Unions and Agents of Democracy in Nigeria. Let us talk, let’s have a plan. Call people out every Friday and have a peaceful plan of how to send the message across board.

Dec 9 may be investigate/prosecute Ibori day for example. We’ll keep on with that before we move on to the next person. Dec 16 can be prosecute/investigate Obasanjo day and so on.

A non-useless government will not want the citizens out every Friday, it would quickly round up all the sacred cows before the country becomes ungovernable.

Someone may be whispering that it is better said when some of us are abroad but the CACOL-Corruption against Corrupt Leaders- I am sure is based in Nigeria and believe me, some of us abroad can carry placards and do one man demonstration if possible. It will not be that bad, we will support you from here. We will march to Nigerian embassies here every time you call for a mass action.

We have done it before, Nigerians at home and abroad under the umbrella of Concerned Nigerians Worldwide (an offshoot of the Nigerian Village Square ) have succeeded before in conducting a global protest on the same day worldwide. Who says that cannot be repeated in the fight against corruption? Let’s borrow the slogan from NIKE, Impossible is Nothing!

Nigeria, may your Glory come!