How does the

Nigeria: The Second most Corrupt Nation on Earth –“A Good Performance”

I.B Gashinbaki

Earlier this week, the Transparency International (TI) adjudged Nigeria as the second most corrupt nation on earth. Invariably, during the x-ray of the demons of decay and corruption tendencies in the global economy, only Bangladesh could beat Nigeria in the efficacy of corruption. A good performance indeed. What do you think?. But, has any body cared to find out why government is alarmed by the TI report? what makes a nation corrupt? Who are the corrupt Nigerians? Are we really as corrupt as rated by TI? It only makes me sad when we have more questions to ask than answers.

I was not surprised when the Federal Government said that the TI rating was not the “true and fair” position of Nigeria on the global transparency ladder. Infact, a good and timely protest was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. But do you know that, popular belief held among most observers of our polity, is that, if all the components and indices of corruption were to be thoroughly analysed, perhaps Nigeria would have been adjudged second to none.

From the forgoing therefore, we must understand the concept and context of corruption as applicable in Nigeria. This is to underscore the veracity or otherwise of our home-grown approach to the idea of corruption. Thus, in my opinion corruption can simply be referred to as a free-loading concept – a cultural symbol of manifest decay for evil to prevail.

How does the “free- loading concept” of corruption work? Lets take a tour across the River Niger to see, from Zamfara to Calabar and from Maiduguri to Lagos; corruption has been assumed to be synonymous to; modernization or civilization. No doubt it transverses and galvanises the minds of most Nigerian to give a psuedo picture which suggest that: Only fools abhors it - those who resist it die wretched, - those who abstain from it are never rewarded. It has reached every home in Nigeria. It works 24 hours. It is the power that shapes and molds the mind of virtually every citizen, young or old, rich or poor, educated or illiterates. We are all consumed by self guilt and self suspicion because of its grib on our minds and souls. How then can we escape? No doubt, most of us are guilty.

The leadership is guilty of all these and so is the led. We the followers accuses our leaders but lack moral grounds to condemn them. Against this new empire of monumental corruption, the common man has forgotten that a good society could evolve by being more moral than their leaders whose moral code could then oblige them to change or be changed.

Take a look at this outstanding example in the Holy Bible, according to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, as cited in the case of a woman who was alleged of committing adultery that was brought before him to judge; the Lord said “according to the law she has to die by stoning; but let him who has no sin cast the first stone”. Do you now appreciates the difficulty? So, we all agree that corruption is condemnable but who can cast the first stone? Lets search our conscience.

The only reason why neither the people nor the government or neither the leaders nor the led, can’t cast the first stone is that most Nigerians do not have the moral justification or moral credential to do so. Just take a look from the top to bottom- Are we as clean as we claim?. For many of us; our houses, our companies, our cars, our wives, our food and our drinks were all acquired through the diabolism of corruption. And your only excuse is that everybody is doing it. Do you fear God at all?

In my quest for answers to all these, I discovered that the “free-loading concept” of corruption came into the system surreptiously in a multidimensional approach. Let me show you how.

It started with our successive failed governments leading to failed parastatals, failed agencies and failed institutions due to lack of integrity and accountability by the leadership; but the power that be, responded by saying no problem it is “survival of the fittest”. Lets reward them with chieftaincy titles or bring them back to power.

Our elected public officers have been alleged and accused of all forms of misconduct, abuse of office, mismanagement, constitutional breaches, forgery and civil wrong, but how did they respond, they told us that in the interest of this young “democrazy” let us reward them with re-election to complete the looting.

Our military is politicised and power crazy, besides our Police are regarded as devils, but we said only retired military and police officers can fit political offices.

Our academic centres of excellence became citadel of violence, but we responded, oh yes – every students must graduate with combine honours in cultism and examination malpractices.

Our Banks and other Financial Institutions are collapsing, companies are crumbling and businesses are winding up, but we responded by saying there nothing wrong with the “get rich quick syndrome”. Just get the money at all cost and by all means,- join politics - we are going to vote for you.

Our vital government owned institutions are being sold to private individuals. The Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Co Ltd, inclusive, but the power that be said- oh yes, even the Nigerian Army can be sold. There is nothing wrong in printing our money in private owned companies.

Our women are working half naked in schools, markets and offices but we responded by saying, it is alright they have to look “so hot”.

Our children have taken to drugs and we live at the mercy armed robbers but the police said it is the game of “live and lets live”.

We can not exhaust all the scenarios, but the above are few among many models that actually depicts how bad is our case. Stop to think of it; Can you imagine a country where nobody trust anybody and everybody suspects everyone? This is indeed an inescapable picture of Nigeria. We have failed as individuals, as an economy, and even as a government.

I rest my case by saying therefore, that this is a call to conscience for our leaders and the led.

Gashinbaki: Is an author based in Lagos.