Corruption in Nigeria: Are we winning?

Corruption is a persistent disease that has pervaded everybody and every state in Nigeria. It has increase in both quality and intensity with an alarming and devastating consequences on both human and our standard of living. The endemic nature of corruption in Nigeria constitutes one of its greatest threats to the entire humanity. It's pathetic and shameful to say that a country flowing with milk and honey has been plagued lustfully with corruption at all level and as it is difficult to prove corruption, so also it is impossible to prove its absence.

In Nigeria, the culture of corruption extends to every aspect of public life, making it more or less impossible to stay in business without giving bribes. As we have the common bribe-giving people and leaders, so also we have the most common bribe-taking people and leaders. In fact, it has now become a natural / destructive web as anyone hoping to do any kind of business be it small or big in Nigeria must first of all take corruption as a paramount factor by making a room for its operation or by putting it into consideration. Indeed, the situation is now so bad that even some government officials are alleged to bribe one another to get government business done. The continuous threats of unemployment, embezzlement of public found, mismanagement of the nation's wealth, social unrest, political instability, extortion, influence peddling, and fraud and lots more, all this has breeds inefficiency, unethical value and indiscipline, pervasion of integrity, abuse of power, greediness and selfishness in man. One is left but to agree with Smith (1976) who describes Nigeria as a nation where human society is plunging compulsively into ever greater depth of corruption and decay. Thus, the greater the development plans, the larger the scale of corruption with which their implementation encourages by diverting efforts that are being made for the benefit of the community to private again at the community's expense “. Rev Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1932), put it: that "Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set a rolling it must increase". Also, a social critic, David Brin, said that power corrupts, but actually it's truer that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power." Corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political realm, it undermines democracy and good governance by subverting formal processes. Corruption in elections and in legislative bodies reduces accountability and fair representation in policymaking; corruption in the judiciary undermines or suspends the rule of law; and corruption in public administration results in the unequal provision of services. More generally, In Nigeria another major cause of corruption is ethnicity called tribalism in Nigeria. Friends and kinsmen seeking favor from officials may impose difficult strains on the ethical disposition of the official. corruption erodes the institutional capacity of government as procedures are disregarded, resources are siphoned off, and officials are hired or promoted without regard to performance. At the same time, corruption undermines the legitimacy of government and such democratic values as trust and tolerance. Corruption also undermines economic development by generating considerable distortions and inefficiency. In the private sector, corruption increases the cost of business through the price of illicit payments, it also generates economic distortions in the public sector by diverting public investment into capital projects where bribes and kickbacks are more plentiful. Corruption also lowers quality of standards of compliance with construction, environmental, or other regulations; reduces the quality of government services and infrastructure as is too evident to Nigerians; and increases budgetary pressures on government. This may be the reason why in spite of the unprecedented hikes in crude oil prices that have led to the so-called excess oil revenues, the federal government is still finding it quite difficult to balance its annual budgets. How do we claim to be on the winning side when indications as shown that many Nigerians leaders at all level, including the past presidents, governors, politicians, retired civil servants, judges, law makers and a few generals, have engaged and are still engaging in corrupt practices. For this reason, the question that Nigerians should be asking is not, who among the moneyed elite class is corrupt? But, who is NOT corrupt? That this must be so is evident from the way many Nigerians today seem to live above their visible legitimate incomes. Otherwise how does one explain the sources for the financing of those luxurious, palatial, stately mansions (that have mushroomed in many Nigerian cities, towns, and even villages), not to speak of the sumptuously lavish social parties and very expensive top-end luxury cars put on display by a large number of businessmen, senior public servants and military personnel, serving and retired. Perhaps the real challenge with tackling corruption in Nigeria is that most of the corruption warriors (in the form of the policy makers, the legislators, the police and the judiciary) pressed into service are themselves not innocent. These are the realities that have stared past and present Nigerian leaders on the face as they moan about corruption and pretend to fight it. With the new government administration on board, can we say with boldness that we can walk tall and deliver ourselves from this web of corruption , although many Nigerians saw a level of transparency, integrity, and accountability in 1985, under the government of General Muhammadu Buhari where a cross section of political gladiators were convicted of different corrupt practices and prosecuted, now that president muhammadu Buhari has now been sworn in, is there any proof or evidence that the history of 1985 can repeat itself as it is certain that as a nation. As a nation, let us be sincere to ourselves, are we winning or moving backward? Essentially, what is required to tame the feathers of corruption in the polity is the needed political will and dedication of the leaders, vise and vise enabling environment to make the process credible. This Nevertheless must begin with an overhaul of the country's anti graft agencies, a cursory review of the existing laws, as well as effort to rid out indiscipline and sundry incungruencies in the country's judicial system. The stakes are high, so also is the optimism that even if the grip of corruption cannot be completely cut off, it would certainly be curbed to the berest minimum. It is cherry news that the president and like have taken the bull by the horn by declaring their assets, this to a large extent begin to restore the hope that Nigeria in no long distance would be free to a reasonable extent from this cankerious that has penetrate the whole system. Can we join the winning nations by eradicating corruption. “Mobolade Ibironke Esther is a Mass Communication Student, Unilorin 400 Level.Matric Number: 11/52HN014”