.

One of the most inconvenient and undeniable truths about the Ribadu led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is how the presence of the commission has opened both local and international eyes to the shameful inadequacies of Nigerian militicians and their politicians partners in crime. .

  .

The nominal Big men (low men actually) who hop on and off the nations political merry go round in its present formation cannot and would not deliver for their own communities nor for the nation as a whole. Unlike, for instance, a young graduate working in a bank, a judge in Warri, a crime buster from Zaria, a seasoned diplomat from Ipetu-Ijesha, or a farmer from Ado Ekiti- all the quiet, efficient civil servants from around the nation who have put in the hard yard to move the nation forward. When “unrepresentative” members of the national assembly moan and shamelessly go for grab at the national cake in form of bloated contracts and outright looting sphere by many of the governors, local government chairmen, ministers est., dedicated, yet silent builders of the nation hold their tongues. It is hard to know whether to laugh or cry when you hear those ridiculous scandals. However, a good observation about EFCC crusade can be seen in the deep sense of anxiety and frustration among the professional political class, they are failing, and the masses and the world are increasingly aware of their nefarious activities and share impotence. Thanks majorly to the Ribadu led commission. .

  .

Frustration leads to desperation and overreaction. It does not come as a surprise that Kalu Uzor Orji, Atiku Abubakar, Alao-Akala, convicted Diepriye Alamieyeseigha, Joshua Dariye, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, Chimaroke Nnamani, Jolly Nyame and other alleged looters of the people’s treasury are accusing EFCC of selectiveness in its noble fight against corruption in the land. Ironically, these shameless characters and their collaborators would not address the crux of the mater which is whether Kalu and co are looters or not instead, they wanted to be seen as being prosecuted for their imaginary fight against the OBJ tyranny. What an affront to the collective intelligence of the Nigerian people! It is obvious to all that the real motive of the wolf cry is to ease the squeeze on the alleged looters through dubious and bogus court injunctions and the share incompetence and unexplainable act of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation. Now that the jury is out- no more immunity, there is no hiding place for the low men who have brought such a huge miseries to their people. The exposure at least would have caused Kalu and other looters their decency (if they have any) and some of their beloved perks- stolen wealth and self-inflated egos. .

Under the slogan of the much-abused immunity, governors and other top government officials, including unpopular former presidents gained the control of the people’s treasury and dominate the bureaucracy.

While the enemies of the Nigerian people are fighting hard to bring EFCC down, the commission officials were generating color and applause at home and abroad for the good job, they are doing. According to the commission, it has recovered more than fifty billion naira looted from the treasury from some former governors and top government officials (such as Tafa Balogun) and millions of dollars from other financial crime perpetrators in the country. What the commission need now is to start working the grassroots, by setting up community outreach offices in all local government to promote its work.

The Ribadu lead EFCC is popular with the deprived masses of Nigeria because it brought better accountability, justice, discipline and a great sense of relief to many Nigerians that after all, some otherwise untouchable highly placed criminals can still and would be brought to justice. .

  .

EFCC is a strange beast or if you like, call it monster. A monster created either willingly or otherwise by the ineptitude administration of Obasanjo to hunt not only the corrupt elites but also other financial crime perpetrators. So why any one in his or her right senses would would not support such commission? Except for the obvious reasons. It is not a law unto itself, yet the key role of the commission at this stage of out national life is to improve the way government works. The commission should be commended for getting right in to the belly of the country’s institutions, trying very hard to eradicate decades of corruption and inadequacy. .

  .

Led by the brave police officer, EFCC has to win over the emerging young professionals, right thinking liberal and conservative politicians (and aspiring ones), while breaking the corrupt fuelled professional politician’s hold on power and their long standing habit of corrupt practicing right from electoral fraud to outright looting. Ribadu and his team in EFCC are encountering two kinds of resistance- common bastardly and equally corrosive Nigerians passivity. Technically, the commission works in partnership with the Nigerian government and its people. Its performance is monitored that the whole world. But there is no doubt that the corrupt elites and their collaborators world wide would do anything possible to compromise and undermine its effort in riding the country of the monster called corruption. The onus is therefore on the Nigerian masses and sincere friends of the country to stand firm with the commission on its noble cause. .

  .

Having committed so much and achieving so great, the commission cannot afford to fail Nigerian masses, neither should it be made to fail. It must stay the course until the job is done. Nigerians and the world should not underestimate the task before EFCC, in fact, the fundamental problems with the nation is so huge and diverse that the commission alone does not have answers for many of the ills afflicting us as a country. .

  .

This brings us back to the low men’s trump cards- immunity and leadership. Immunity and leadership are slippery concepts in the arc of instability in the country’s domain. The low men at the helms of affair need to understand that leadership and diplomatic privileges are not just the ability to announce government policy, it is about the capacity of a nation to implement those policies. Leadership is not just about having the ability to pass law, it is also about the capacity of a nation to enforce those laws. Leadership is not just about privilege individuals occupying key positions, it is also about ensuring they are effective in those positions. Leadership is not just about leading a nation with its people walloping in abject poverty, it is also about winning the respect and envy of other nations. Sadly, on all these benchmarks, the big low men ruling Nigeria fall short. .

  .

Nigerians, everywhere in the world, by various means necessary, need to compel the big low men at the center to summon the political will to allow unhindered, the EFCC to continue rigorously, the good job it is doing be it selective or not (who cares?) as long as the selective rogues are thieves. The recent gangsterism of the attorney general of the federation against the EFCC is not only retrogressive but also uncalled for. .

  .

With all its shortcomings notwithstanding, EFCC is still a good antidote for a nation, whose way of life is synonymous with corrupt practices. For decades, the big low me n in power has continue to visit high level of unfashionable miseries on the people whose treasury they have been looting without any significant development in the land since the good old day of regionalism (e.g. the old Western Region as a case study). .

  .

Wake up big low men at the center, containment and plea bargaining measures are not working as deterrents to economic and national crimes, let loose EFCC on errant and wicked low men of yesterday and today to account for the miseries they have brought upon a land flourishing in unequal natural resources. By helping reduce corruption, the commission would ensure greater stability in our governance and economy on one hand, and foster social cohesion on the other hand. .

  .

Until next time, please think about the need to pursue a true federalism with a very weak center as an alternative to the charade we have in Nigeria presently.

Abiola Falayajo is the President of the Yoruba Renaissance Group (yorubavoice@gmail.com  www.yorubavoice.com). He lives in Melbourne, Australia.