Next Batch of Corrupt Officials

Corruption is a common name in most if not all households within this geographical contraction called Nigeria. It originated from the Latin word ‘Corruptus’ meaning to abuse or destroy. So literarily, engaging in corruption is synonymous to abuse of whatever one is corrupting or destroying. Undoubtedly, everyone has in one way or the other experienced corruption. To this end therefore, Corruption has defiled one single meaning; it means different thing to different people, in different location and in different perspectives, but all possessing a common core of negative connotation. For example, in Philosophical, Theological or Moral discourses, corruption relates to spiritual or moral impurity. In the domain of Economy, it relates to the payment for services or materials which the recipient is not due. Politically, it involves dishonest behaviour or conduct in position of trust. Hence, embezzlement, dishonesty, extortion, misappropriation, nepotism, tribalism, bribery, rigging etc. are quintessential manifestation of corruption. Interestingly, these are the varied ways in which people involve in corrupt practices. It is not limited to any group or institution even though there is a preponderance of it in the political class particularly in Nigeria. For instance, when ordinary citizens, so to speak, lie when they give testimony in court, it is corruption; when a judge declares the guilty innocent and the innocent guilty, it is corruption; when a police officer fabricate evidence in order to favour a particular person in return for money, it is corruption; when a doctor puts his patient in jeopardy for whatever reason, it is corruption; when an academic plagiarises, it is corruption. Also when pastors and imams lie to their followers in order to get respect or favour, it is corruption; when a teacher or lecturer demands sexual gratification to pass a student or when monetary demands are made on student before they pass their exams, it is corruption. The lists are endless; we can go on and on. All these exemplified the wide and multifarious range of corruption around the world in general and Nigeria in particular. Every state deserves honest public and private officials who are guided by the principles of integrity and patriotism. The growth and development of any nation rest squarely on all, but most especially on public and private office holders who above any other thing put the interest of the country first in their daily routine. Most (if not all) developed societies are as a result of collective responsibility engineered by honest and patriotic leadership. To a large extend therefore; the quality of leadership in a particular country determines the level of development of that state. They provide the much needed enabling environment and infrastructure. Needless to say therefore, that leadership is like a spur that propels a nation forward. With no intent of enjoying calling anyone names, anyone in full possession of his faculties will not dispute the fact that Nigeria’s leaders are a bunch of corrupt officials who are nothing but a conglomeration of political mistake and misrepresentation. That the problem of this country stems from the problem of leadership, is not just an act of proclamation; it is a fact. And that if corruption and all or most corrupt practices are eliminated, the country will have its lost glory restored, is also not just an assumption. Whatever mess this country has fallen into emanated from the very fact that Nigeria was not and is still not fortunate to be manned by upright people who understand the social contract that binds them with the electorate. The leadership is a horrific monster that devours what belongs to all. The magnitude of the qualms is grandiose as nothing is going well in the country from electricity to pipe-borne water, to employment, to road, to transportation, to education, to health, just name it; everything is in a state of limbo. Everything has been incapacitated by them so they can decide on almost everything that goes around. These characters can not even get one thing to be running efficiently; what a shame! And these are people that are supposed to uphold the dreams and aspirations of the people. They are expected to act in consonant with the deepest yearnings of the people that bestowed them with their mandate. Attention should have been directed toward what the people really want. However, much to their credit is the grossly mismanaged country that is left to be standing on one leg with heavy loads. Of cause, this is as a result of the series of batches of corrupt officials that find their way to public offices and wasted our human and natural resources and they are still wasting. Alhaji (Dr) Yusuf Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano explicitly captures the state of being in the Nigerian state when he asserts that ‘There is corruption in the system, frustration in the people and lack of creativity in the leadership who are suppose to exhibit honesty, integrity and tremendous sense of responsibility’. One can not in all sincerity quantify the magnitude to which corruption has gripped the country. One requires a kind of revelation to discern the extend of corruption in Nigeria as introduced by the leadership and uphold by other public and private officials. No parastatal, ministry, company, industry (that’s if we have one), school and institution that is left out. Even market women and men are partners in progress. Churches and Mosque also share in it. The entire country is undermined and the problems keep piling-up with no easy solution in view. One can argue that whatever is given them the afflatus to engage in corruption is not unlikely to be symmetrically adjacent with greed, selfishness, and poor moral standards as well as zero consideration for others among other factors. It then baffles anyone with a sane mind to wonder why an innocent, rich and beautiful territory like Nigeria is hijacked by such strata of officials who are completely insensitive to the simplest yearnings of the general public. Indeed, this is a disgusting reality that lacks common sense. The resultant effect of all these is that the country is jeopardized and left vulnerable to sustainable backwardness because the youths who are later going to ascend to those positions are corrupted by the leadership of today. Today, the average youth believes that he has to cheat in order to succeed. He believes that he has to bribe his way to the top. Integrity, diligence and patriotic zeal to the nation are not in the repertoire of what they believe. This implies that the emerging future leaders will end up constituting nothing but the next batch of corrupt public and private officials. The environment was highly subjected and is still being subjected to dishonest comportment, poor moral values and a primitive desire to amass more than enough for a very few. The youth are keenly watching and learning, this is why it is going to be like trekking from Lagos to Johannesburg to resist the craving temptation to act likewise. It hence becomes imperative that the future of the nation is secured by making concerted effort to properly guide the youth toward diligence, integrity and patriotism. This country deserves leaders with good intention and patriotic enthusiasm; leaders who are driven by the desire to operate within the dictates of the rule of law and act for the interest of all. Otherwise, the country even in its ‘sorry status’ will continue to see nothing but more of setback. Our dare country can be liberated and taking to great height by her youth, but being at close proximity with corrupt leaders will make them acquire diabolical ideas that will corrupt their young souls to act dishonorably in office. For this reason our young up coming leaders should be allergic to any of such influences. They should look for good role-models with honest demeanours to help shape their thinking and actions. They should look else where (since the home front is corrupted) for inspiration and good leadership skills from leaders that will fumigate their minds with honest principles and patriotic zeal. I strongly believe that for the youth to be the kind of leaders Nigeria needs their mindsets require rehabilitation. What they think, how they think and what they believe are as important as Greece getting out of its financial crisis. Preparation toward a life of purpose and vision do not begin with what one has or can do, but with what one believes. A youth that believes in cheating will work with that mindset. A youth who believes he has to bribe his way to the top will operate within that frame work. Likewise, a youth who believes in commitment, integrity and diligence will live and conduct his affairs with that mentality. This is so because whatever one believes forms a kind of basic principle that guides the person’s conduct. Time is more than ripe for the youth to get initiated into a life that will help them become great leaders of their followers. Every youth should have a good and positive opinion of him. One day in one way or the other the youth will have to take a decision that will either perpetuate the corruption culture or renounce it. Whichever the youth chooses will depend on what he believes. The youth are not only leaders of tomorrow, but of today because they lead their lives in the direction they want to follow. A youth who cannot lead himself right; cannot possibly lead others right. I believe we don’t require a seer to tell us that simply replacing the old leaders with new ones (as suggested by some people) will not amount to a necessary common sense action to get out of the unfortunate state because it is not about the old and the new; it is about the disposition of their mentality. If the new ones believe what the old ones believe and we merely substitute them, what have we done? It will mean that we just replace a lion with a hyena in a den of goats. I raise my case.