IS CORRUPTION THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM OF NIGERIA? I have always believed that corruption is not the number one problem of Nigeria. In fact, corruption is not THE problem. People want a convenient and easy definition of the Nigerian challenge, so they lump everything in one basket and call it corruption. So, in their minds, they have successfully identified the challenge, brand it and personified it, they form clubs, Rights movements etc to try and uproot it, all in vain. When the prognosis is wrong, the right treatment will be a miracle. Its difficult to convince people that corruption is not the problem, not in this country. We dont see capacity challenge anymore, no, not of knowledge and resources, sense of history, no, everything is gone in the name of corruption. Corruption has become a sweet melody in the lips of political agitators, all singing daily, subtly saturating our psyche. Everyday we want to fix this symptom, leaving the disease and we wonder why we are not able to cure it. I remember my uncle telling me about Murtala Mohammeds administration, how civil servants were sacked and how people were not sure of their jobs anymore, so, you grab anything you lay your hands on when you are there. Federal character took the place of professionalism, man-know-man replaced capacity, so the only recognizable thing was distrust. Nigeria firmly planted distrust in the civil service and the military, this was the early beginnings of blind corruption. The civil war also took away financial autonomy of the regions and placed it in the center and Land Use decree put a cap on it. With this distrust, lack of professionalism and capacity, Nigeria was skewed towards nepotistic lines and grab! grab!! grab!!! became the order of the day. NA AWA TURN O becomes the slogan. SO you see, the problem of Nigeria is structural. It started in the civil service, they taught the politicians and the military how to loot. How can such very different people be lumped together in this manner. A section of the country produces the professors, another the resources, another trade, while some believe they are the POWER holders, with ideologies miles apart. Until we fix the structural challenge we will always have corruption. I believe the problem of Nigeria is structural corruption.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:31:14 +0000
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