In order to buttress my point, i have to define stealing and corruption, and then explain the difference, and also call to your attention the dangers of supporting corrupt governments in the upcoming elections.

Stealing:

Stealing can be defined as taking someone else's property without right or permission from the owner. It also includes taking (stealing) someone's ideas or words and using them as if they were yours. A very common and simple case of stealing would be when your father keeps money in his drawer and you creep into his room in the cover of night to take some or all the money without his permission or knowledge.

source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/stealing

Corruption

Corruption is the abuse of public resources to enrich or give unfair advantage to individuals, their family or their friends. This involves many activities including Bribery and Embezzlement

Going further, Embezzlement is defined as a kind of financial fraud which involves the diversion of funds or assets entrusted to you for a specific purpose, and converting such assets or funds into personal use. A very simple case of embezzlement is when your dad gives you money to pay for school fees for your younger siblings but instead of doing just that, you convert the money to your own personal use while the school fees is left unpaid, or you pay for only 1 out of the 3 siblings and use the rest of the money to yourself. Another domestic case of embezzlement is when your spouse hands you money to buy foodstuff and cook a decent meal but out of greed, you convert most of the money to personal use while the stew (sauce) tastes like tomatoes flooded with water.

Bribery on the one hand is defined as a crime which involves giving money or any item of value to influence the action of a public official or anyone taking charge of an official duty. For instance, one of the most common cases of bribery you'll likely witness in the coming elections is: party officials offering money to the Police, Security agents, INEC adhoc staff and Party agents of rival political parties, to look the other way while their accredited or non-accredited voters thumbprint multiple times in favour of their party.... OR bribing all the officials mentioned while their own fraudulent ballot box or thumbprinted voting papers (with most votes for their parties) are used to replace the authentic ones.

source: http://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/content/what-corruption
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embezzlement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery


From the definitions and examples above, it is very clear that most of our public office holders are mostly involved in cases of bribery and embezzlement which are direct acts of corruption, rather than stealing. Being that many political and public office holders in Nigeria always fall into the temptation of converting most or all of the money entrusted to them for provision of public services into personal use, it is right to say they are engaged in corruption, which is considered in many countries as a crime against humanity.

Corruption should be publicly detested by all Nigerians. It is the cause of lack of social amenities such as electricity, good motorable roads, treated pipe borne water and other social services lacking in most Nigerian communities. It is very important to point out here that a public official discharging his official duties in a seemingly acceptable level to the public does not absolve him of corrupt practices. While it is nearly impossible for public officials to utilize 100% of the money entrusted for public projects, that is what the law states and that is what the citizens must demand. This is the reason that in many countries, even people who have performed measurably well are still tried for corrupt practices after they leave office.

Conclusion: I have done my job to educate you, It is your job to sit back and reflect on this. Think about how your life is contributing to the problem we have in Nigeria. Think about how your support for corrupt leaders around you is fueling the impunity called Corruption, and how your actions are contributing to the underdevelopment in Nigeria. Begin now to stand up for justice against corrupt office holders, justice against fraud in public offices, and above all, justice against electoral fraud in Nigeria. No matter who you support for presidency or governorship or house of assembly elections at all levels, encourage a free and fair electoral process that will ensure the decision of the majority people counts. Reject the temptation to support your candicate to impose his/her will on the masses through electoral fraud. It may favour you in the short term but it will not favour the coming generations, your gains will not even guarantee their security and success in the future. A time will come when you reflect back like Elders in our country today and think about how your past actions may have contributed to the destruction of the society your children live in.

[size=25pt]Be wise, condemn and shun corruption today![/size]

Good article... Very educative

Should be in the front page

Bros, we know

Yea finally some fools can finally understand dat stealing isn't corruption!

smh abeg go tell Gej

The fact that corruption attracts lesser punishment than stealing, cases of embezzlement should also be charged as stealing and not corruption as the president had advocated if only to act as a deterrant.

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Tranquill:
The fact that corruption attracts lesser punishment than stealing, cases of embezzlement should also be charged as stealing and not corruption as the president had advocated if only to act as a deterrant.

Well, i believe we should follow the law and do what is needful, which is amending the punishment for corruption. We the citizens have a stake in this, remember we are the ones electing these senators and house of assembly members who have refused to amend the laws against corruption. Corruption should be seen by us as a very serious and heinous crime, like the way we see girl and child rape, anyone involved in it should be detested by us the way we detest rapists and common thieves. Only then can corrupt officials begin to hide their faces from the public.

rottennaija:
Good article... Very educative

Should be in the front page

Seconded. @mods this article is educative and deserves more attention, please move to front page