Corruption is deep rooted and
very vibrant in Nigerian society. Nigeria is burdened with political and
systemic corruption. It is a popular slogan in Nigeria that “nothing goes for
nothing” and they are living out this phrase over there. Even a child
expects some kind of compensation for helping you open a door.
Corruption is the abuse of
public office, power or resources for undue advantage. This applies to the person who abuses his
position (the initiator) and the person who is taking the undue advantage (the
receiver). It could take place between officials or private individuals vice
versa. Corruption has to do with bibery or kick back, extortion embezzlement, nepotism (favoring family members for
jobs and contracts).
Corruption in Nigeria is practiced in the guise
of humanitarian and ethno-religious
sentiments. Recently, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam
Lamido Sanusi ‘donated’ the sum of ₦100
million to the victims of Boko Haram’s bombing in Kano. Other cities have had
the same sect attacks in Plateau, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states without Sanusi
showing the same gesture to them. But he made the ‘donation’ to kano because he is from there .
The Director of the Pensions Department in the
Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Dr. Sani Teidi
Shuaibu, is facing trail for allegly diverting pension allocations to acquire a hotel
in Abuja for ₦359.25 million. Many of these pensioneers died while queuing up
for their allowances that were not forth coming. Others died of malnutrition
and hunger.
This epidemic called corruption has led
Nigeria to a deep stagnation and backwardness. Nigeria has remained under
developed because the country’s resources made from oil is being chanelled into
private accounts in the west, instead of being used for the projects they were meant
for. The effect of the looting of Nigerian treasury has resulted to increased level of insecurity in the
nature of armed robberies, kidnappings etc.
Inappropriate use of public funds has also led to total collapse of state and national social amenities like roads, electricity power supply etc. It is no secret that the Nigerian roads are death traps because of potholes and gullies. In other words the roads and other facitlities are in very bad conditons. Nigerians don’t have reliable electricity supply and drinking water. Many house holds depend on boreholes for water, In effect exposing the citizenry to water-borne diseases like cholera for example.
Educational system is not
left untouched by corruption. The standard of education has fallen drastically
that Nigeria's bright brains are being
forced to leave the country in search of greener pastures abroad.
Effects of corruption cannot
be over-emphasised. Corruption enriches a few and leaves millions in abject
poverty. It has weakened Nigerian economic power and social fabric.
Federal and state governments
do not have adequate amount of money available to pay workers and refurbish
their various institutions with supplies like buying of books, medicine, buses
computers etc. Teachers and other civil servants don’t get paid adequately
and as at when due.
Development has become
staunted if not difficult because office holders divert public funds to private
use.
Corruption in addition has
weakened nigerian young democracy and rule of law. Nigerian Electoral
Commission has been unable to conduct free and fair eclections since the
inception of electoral process in the country. Months after the last election
some politicians are still disputing each other’s supposed victory in the court of law because of election
fraud.
In the same vein the rule of law has taken a back seat. People don’t
trust the law enforcement agencies anymore in Nigeria. Those that have money or
connection can bend the law in their favour. As a result the generality of
Nigerians don’t trust their government.
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