It is usually a hissing of disappointment when one talks
about the mentality of many African political leaders, particularly those of
Nigerian stock. Their vain dispensation
to corruption leaves a lot to be desired.
The current waves of missing funds among the NNPC leadership is a big
disappointment. It seems that many of
their education and working experiences in Western world has taught them
nothing about good governance. How does one
not feel ashamed that a whopping sum of ($20,000,000,000) twenty billion
dollars is missing from the coffers.
How does one even begin to defend it? Why does the controversy center on whether it
is $10.8 billion dollars and not $20 billion dollars? The fact remains that the money has been
stolen in broad day light without shame.
When the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonji-Iweala who is supposed to
know better, and the Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani K. Alison-Madueke proffer
their defense to lesser amount, it makes those fighting for good governance cringe
with shame for them. People think highly
of these two names but their lack of transparency disturbed a lot of Nigerians. No one defend corruption in leadership or
otherwise.
It is understandable that Nigerians may have
colonial scars that often deformed the craving for good governance without
excuses. No one should take for granted
the psychological effect that the colonial masters left behind for manipulation
of the African minds. Particularly those
involved in leading of their fellow tribesmen for unity from diverse background. Yes, Nigeria has diverse tribes with diverse
cultures. Nonetheless unity should be
foremost to dislodge the colonial manipulation that increases corruption and
tribal hatred. The corrupt influence that
breeds hatred must not be allowed to plague on the vulnerability of Nigerian
leadership.
Nonetheless, Nigerian masses need accountability
from the leadership. A government that
is ethical and transparent enough to protect, represents and provides good and
adequate services to its citizens. They
want good leadership to dictate the law and equity in their society. They need
their government institutions to promote good governance that will trickle down
to the masses to prevent lawlessness. Not impunity and shamelessness in
thievery. Many good Nigerians have seen
the type of mob lawlessness that often met out their own justice without fear
of law and order. This attitude of impunity
is copied from those in leadership, trickling down to the masses to have disregard
for due process. Nigerian leadership
should not waste the opportunity to provide good governance to the Nigerian
public.
How is it that in the defense for the missing funds,
CBN Governor Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is said to be not well informed to the
inner working of the Petroleum industry.
This is not an educated defense at all for the stolen funds. Is not education supposed to make people
better stewards of public funds? Why is
Nigerian’s case full of mediocrity and foolishness? Regardless, there is no defense for stolen
public funds no matter how small the amount but in this case, the amount is in
billions of dollars. The Nigerian government
must come up with the principles to forestall this rampart corruption in its
ranks. Back in 19990s when The British
government had their own issue of corruption, they aptly develop what came to
be known as the Nolan Principles of Public Life. The United Kingdom had political corruption
scandals that rocked the system.
Furthermost was the Cash-for-Questions scandal where
members of Parliament were accused of accepting money from lobbyist in exchange
for proposing questions on the parliament floor. Even though no MPs were proven to have taken
any bribes, several were censured for not sufficiently disclosing campaign
contributions and conflicting interests.
Through 1994 the British created the Committee on Standards in Public
Life to sketch proper behavior by public servants. In the first report the committee released
the Nolan Principles, named after the committee's first chairman, Lord Michael
Nolan. Nigerian leadership need similar
solution to measure public servants.
The game of divide and conquer played among various tribes
in Nigeria has enabled corruption to flourish.
Though colonial masters are no longer ruling in Nigeria but their
influence is undeniably rooted. There
are those foreign entities who come to Nigeria in the guise of helping with
business enterprises but their influence to disrupt is seen in the way they
enable corrupt officials stow away their loots in foreign banks. This same game
is still being played all over developing African countries. The clarion call is to wake up Nigerian
leadership perpetuating their own country’s destruction. Just because many African nations are
independent does not mean those games of playing Africans against each other has
stopped. Nigerian’s survival bears down
on those who will heed the call to good governance.
No one should ever have to defend corruption. It breaks every good citizen’s heart to see
what is happening in Nigeria. How can it
be that a country as rich as Nigeria has no world standard hospital?? Nigeria should have at least 2 to 3 hospitals
that are world standard comparable to any in USA or UK for treating various
ailment. It seems all the leaders fly to
UK, USA, Germany or Saudi Arabia for treatment even as simple as a
headache. Public funds are spent at the wimps
of corrupt functionary. This is because
corruption in leadership breaks down everything that is good for the livelihood
of the citizens. The Nigerian masses
need to wake up from the hypnoses of the colonial slavery in thought and action. Utilized the uncaged spirit of the ancestors
to fight the underdeveloped mind set of leadership. Those in leadership must forge a good relationship
with their administrative staff and create work environment that supports the
mission of good governance. Nigerian leaders
must not waste the opportunity for good governance for the greater good of
posterity.
