NIGERIA’S PYRAMID OF CORRUPTION

It may not be necessary to remind us that we (not our Government) are collectively seen as the 40th most corrupt people in the World as at 2011 by the Transparency International. This is partly because it has become fashionable to see corruption as a “Nigerian Factor” and I have no doubt that it has also become fashionable to multitudes. Our system often celebrates its gainful rewards but mourns its bitter consequences and a times its difficult to differentiate the gains from the consequences because “ a man’s meat will always be another man’s poison”. The Transparency International says Nigeria is corrupt and I agree completely because it doesn’t require any empirical research to know. Our Governments present and past seem to have imbibed corrupt practices as a code of conduct in the sense that being a public officer and choosing to stand against the “norm” could be viewed by many as “breaking the law”, and the “Law Makers” could thus fight you to a standstill . Contracts are awarded to portfolio contractors whose only sense of contract execution is the payments of kickbacks while the remnant goes as profit.

The above conjectures are certainly not new but what is new is that we all seem to be having a different perspective to what the Transparency International is saying. If the saying is true that knowing the cause of a problem is same as providing half of the solution then Nigeria is far from solving the corruption debacle because we keep pointing our fingers to a wrong direction as the cause of our mess. To an average Nigerian the Government is our problem and I don’t blame them because whatever is said over and again sooner than later becomes “true or a reality”. I concur with Achebe that Nigeria’s problem is that of leadership because he was smart and careful enough not to say Government but leadership. The question then becomes who are the Leaders that have made mockery of our existence?

A leaders by the simplest definition available to me is “someone whom people follow” while Corruption is dishonesty for personal gain, if these definitions are right then over 70% of Nigerians are leaders and majority of these 70% are collectively the Nigerian problem. They are the myopic and selfish majority who have corrupted our existence for their personal aggrandisement. Nigeria’s corruption index is fuelled by the followers but executed by the leaders. You may argue that you are not a leader but that is wrong because somebody somewhere is actively or passively watching you for direction. Many of us are leaders in our various climes and families, a father for instance is no less a leader than the Director in a Company CEO. If we are interested in finding a solution then we have to tell some bitter truths. We have to take responsibility for our actions and inactions in quit blaming others for our wrong doings.

In the eye of Transparency International, a corrupt person is both the Man who bribed financially for a contract and the man who bribed for a mark in a school. To them that examiner who looked the other way while a student cheat his/her colleagues is not different from the Nigerian Aviation regulator who looked the other way while Dana and other airlines fly their unfit aircrafts in our airspace. What differentiates a Corper who got posted and paid but refuses to serve from the Company executive whose company got paid for a contract but refuses to execute the work? What is the guarantee that the man who yesterday falsified his credentials for job because he or she has the means will not do same to win an election tomorrow if similar opportunity beckons. Is the accountant who aided his Company to rob the Government of tax less corrupt than the Permanent Secretary who stole the Tax paid by fellow Nigerians to settle family issues?

Corruption is not synonymous with sin so we can’t say that everyone is guilty. If Transparency international still recognises that some persons live beyond this ugly trend then it is possible for any willing mind to strive to be among them and we all should too. It is not a thing of pride but so many Nigerians can beat their chest to say that they are not corrupt but as many who can’t say that should know that they are part of our corruption story and contribute their quota to the decay and by the Multiplier theory, they shall continue to breed followers in quantum who shall not only follow their path but shall improve on it. Conversely, if we choose to avoid this Augean staple, we could also contribute a positive multiplier effect in our society. As far as I and certainly IT knows, the perpetrators of corrupt practices in Nigeria are skewed like a pyramid with the Politicians and Public figures at the top but majority occupy the bottom and these majority are Non-politicians who are mainly in the private sectors. No corrupt individual has a moral standing to accuse another of corruption because “he that comes to equity must come with clean hands”. A thief may not steal as much as an armed robber but both of them are criminals.

Hmmm,54 views and no comment. All of una dey try.

The writing style makes it difficult to read through. There are a thousand threads so there is attention deficit. If you want comments, highlight the high-points of your essay so that peeps can understand your speech without having to read it all.

@phipex, what you said is real but I won't say much cos am guilty of some of them but our leaders are still our major problem. Imagine what's happening with the subsidy probe?

PapaBrowne: The writing style makes it difficult to read through. There are a thousand threads so there is attention deficit. If you want comments, highlight the high-points of your essay so that peeps can understand your speech without having to read it all.

I understand that its a bit long but thats partly because it was an article that was not primarily meant for NL but I posted it here due to the recent happennings. Thanks for your suggestions though.

PapaBrowne: The writing style makes it difficult to read through. There are a thousand threads so there is attention deficit. If you want comments, highlight the high-points of your essay so that peeps can understand your speech without having to read it all.

Supported. Using a mobile device makes almost impossible to read.