By Sydney O Madukwem 07069123994
Progress, development and infrastructural increase are indices of a working democracy made possible through frugal, judicious and transparent use of scarce financial resources. In countries where sovereignty actually belongs to the people, leadership is accountable to the people. Any abuse of such privileges by leaders are reprimanded with votes of no confidence and invocation of recall process as enshrined in the constitution.
Today the United States of America, Great Britain, France and Japan remain the envy of Africa, parade the best and most robust economy as a result of in-built monitoring mechanism against corruption and corrupt practices. Beneficiaries of corruption do not walk on the street free as they are apprehended, prosecuted and convicted and such proceeds of corruption recovered and returned to the government coffers.
Corruption according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary New 7th Edition is a dishonest or illegal behaviour especially of people in authority. It is also the act of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour.
From the above definition, corruption is an illegality, aberration and a deviation from the norms of the society. It is an inordinate ambition, a diseased condition, in which an individual appropriates resources for common good.
Corruption is a cankerworm that has destroyed the fabrics of the nation. It has intractably defied many Republics, destroyed many leaders, left a wreckage of failed, abandoned projects and promises.
Corruption is as old as the nation’s Independence. One of the reasons adduced by the military for toppling the first civilian administration at Independence was corruption. Politicians then were accused of corruption and flamboyant life styles that impoverished the masses.
Corruption is retrogressive. In any given corrupt practice, there must be the cheat and the cheated.
Corruption among people in authority is the major bane of the nations development. It ranges from inflated contracts, abandoned contracts, kick backs, embezzlement of public funds, settlements, cash gifts and nepotism to mention but a few.
To elucidate, jobs are not advertised, only given not on merit but based on extraneous factors, connection with and sacrifice of cash to those in charge.
Some politicians go into elective offices with stolen mandates, brandishing and spending colossal sums of money to subvert the course of justice.
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN bills are sent and consumers pay for services not rendered as well as contribute to the repair of transformers and failed PHCN installations.
Bails are paid at Police Stations even when Nigerians are told that bails are free.
Terminal benefits are paid as fast as possibly only when persons involved are ready to part with cash. Pensioners are groaning in pains and agony for inxpicab1e reasons.
The pump price of petrol is unofficially reviewed upward to short-charge commuters.
Some Nigerians travel abroad, connive with foreigners, produce substandard products especially in the pharmaceuticals, automobile and spare parts and send these products home to the detriment of their fellow Nigerians.
For those seeking admissions into Higher Education, competitive courses like medicine and law attract behind the scene costs.
Corruption has infiltrated the House of God. Stories abound of Nigeria particularly retired workers and couples in need of the fruits of the womb, fleeced of their entitlements and money by the so-called men of God.
The mad quest to make quick money, buy new and latest models of vehicles, build houses that are phenomenal has turned the youths into internet fraudsters.
At home, land and boundary marks are removed, land belonging to an individual or community acquired without negotiation and compensation.
Corruption has eroded or corroded the psyche of Nigeria and Nigerians.
In spite of promises by successive military administrations that there would be food, water, health and electricity for all by the year 2000, the promises were a mirage-still 14 years after the military quit politics in Nigeria.
Error-proof postulations that have worked in other climes are sabotaged and rendered unworkable in Nigeria because of corruption.
Findings of investigation panels into allegations of corrupt practices do not see the light of the day as a result of vested interests.
Is corruption invincible? Do we resign to fate and allow the future of our children destroyed? To surmount corruption, all that is needed is well- power, dedication and determination. To break with the current trend, imposition of candidates by parties, money politics must seize to exist. In addition, all routes to leadership positions such as primary elections of parties and election umpires at state and federal levels must be seen to produce transparent and credible leaders, always left to be determined by popular choice. By so doing, the emergence of kleptomaniacs and James Ibori-like political office holders is prevented.
We must condemn in strong terms and in all ramifications short-cuts and cutting corners.
Appointment of men of high judicial integrity to head anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic, Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); empowering the’ judges to investigate and prosecute to logical conclusion cases of corruption.
Rewarding exemplary display of honesty. Identities of whistle-blowers should be protected and the information so made available be handled with utmost confidentiality.
Restoring of civic education in primary and secondary schools so as to inculcate the values of good citizenship.
We must bring back our cherished values patience, perseverance, honesty and hard work.
As the President, Governors and Legislators at the Federal and State Assemblies mark Democracy Day on the 29 May, 2013, they should collectively come to terms that they are all caretakers and that no nation works optimally in an atmosphere bedeviled with corruption.
Although, President Goodluck Jonathan inherited post-Independence carry-over corruption, inherited too from previous administrations backlogs of challenges, which were in the past latent, he has however shown and demonstrated obvious capabilities to solve them even though critics are impatient to appreciate his doggedness and determination.
As the President begins his third year in office on the May, 2013, Nigerians demand from him frontal attack on corruption, recovery of stolen funds within and outside, reduction in the cost of governance, entrenchment of error-proof mechanism for tracking allocations from the federation account to the 774 Local Government Councils.
Unfortunately and ironically too those who parade holier-than-thou attitude that the Presidency is an embodiment of corruption are the same men and women of yester-years, who sowed, watered and nurtured the seeds of corruption.
With the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta, corruption became deep- rooted, hydra-headed and an instrument of oppression. This is why many Nigerians are of the notion that if 83% of the nation’s oil blocs belong to Nigerians from one geo-political zone, as allegedly revealed by serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the bulk stops at President Goodluck Jonathan’s table, the onus lies on him to begin investigation to unravel the identities, antecedents of those Nigerians with a view to telling Nigerians whether the oil blocs were acquired legitimately and transparently. Perhaps there are more to it than meets the eye and Nigerians will come to know whether indeed the President is corrupt or his critics.
President Goodluck Jonathan is cut-out divinely for a purpose, unstoppable by mis-chief making from quarters expected especially by those who gambled or frittered away the nation’s golden opportunities to greatness. History is about to vindicate his irrevocable determination to salvage and emancipate the country from the clutches of corruption, inane and bankrupt leadership, masquerading as liberators, saviours, rescuers and patriots.
Nigerian leaders, political parties notwithstanding, should learn a lesson from South Africa and Ghana, once behind Nigeria. Ghana, today is a show piece and a show case of democracy. Corruption-curbed Ghana did not come easy. It took sheer bravery, determination, industry and ingenuity of a man like Jerry Rawlings to turn things around and restore the lost glory of Ghana. There are avalanche of job opportunities for Ghanaians even Nigerians in Ghana. There is regular and uninterrupted water supply. Power outage-to-be is announced not without apology. Ghanaians holds their heads high in international politics.
The eradication of corruption is not a battle for the President alone. Now is the time to individually and collectively do away with corruption and its manifestations, rededicate anew a worthy legacy for our children and the generation unborn.
