Nigeria, our beautiful and
great country, made headlines in international media again recently.
This time, it was not the reports of activities of local terrorist
group, Boko Haram. Instead, it was the presidential pardon for some
ex-convicts, including those who were jailed for corruption.
In the course of discussions on
political developments in our respective countries, my foreign friends
from Ghana, Brazil, Kenya, and Philippines have hitherto expressed their
admiration of Nigeria for jailing high-profile corrupt officials,
something they find relatively rare in their own countries. However, a
couple of them drew my attention to the widely reported news of the
presidential pardon granted particularly to two ex-convicts who stole
from public coffers. It is a shameful development that should not be
repeated.
Let me introduce a virus that
incapacitates any society it infects. I call it Societal
Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). It has the effects of HIV; it pervades the
entire system of the society and sickens it. Let’s compare a society
with the human body: the immune system helps the body to resist
infections and keep the body healthy. HIV attacks the immune system,
weakens the body’s defence system and renders the carrier vulnerable to
all kinds of infectious organisms. If HIV is left untreated or treated
wrongly, it progresses to AIDS, which is characterised by symptoms and
signs of illness from every system of the body.
Similarly, when SIV is left untreated or
wrong treatment applied like presently being done in Nigeria, it
attacks the value system, weakens the society and leaves it vulnerable
to atrocious acts. The signs and symptoms include weak health system,
poor quality of education, worsening insecurity, lack of potable water,
dilapidating infrastructure and high unemployment rate. I call this
condition of corruption Societal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (SIS).
Like HIV, SIV is largely preventable but
incurable. Fear of God, severe punitive actions prescribed by law and
societal stigma serve as good suppressants for SIV/corruption. How has
Nigeria faired in applying these suppressants?
Corruption in Nigeria is as old as the
country’s existence. During my participation in LEAP Africa’s Integrity
Institute six years ago, we were handed copies of pre and post
independence news reports of corruption in public offices involving some
of our founding fathers. It was a time when the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) was prosecuting lots of high-profile corruption
cases. The hope was that corruption would reduce with time but
unfortunately and regrettably, the opposite is the case today.
How transparent and accountable is
public service in Nigeria? I would argue that there has been an
improvement since the return of democracy in 1999. However, relative
opacity persists. Business of government at all levels is still largely
shrouded in secrecy. Even with the existence of the Freedom of
Information law, government agencies still find it difficult to make
non-classified information available to Nigerians.
Recently, a former Federal Minister and
Vice President of World Bank, Dr Oby Ezekwesili legitimately demanded to
know how the country’s reserves were expended over the last six years,
and the response of the authorities was anything but satisfactory.
What about the fear of God? This phrase
has probably been redefined. A “God-fearing” person in Nigeria has
become one who frequents the church or mosque and makes lots of
donations to the religious institution. In many churches today, rich
folks with wealth of questionable sources are the ones who occupy the
front seats and are made elders and deacons. etc. Pentecostal Christian
preachers focus their teachings mainly on riches/prosperity with minimal
emphasis on good morals and diligence. Someone who slept a poor man and
wakes up a millionaire is celebrated in church as a beneficiary of
God’s “miracle.” It’s ridiculous.
Furthermore, does our reward and
punishment system deter one from stealing public funds? Recent
developments in the polity show it does not. My opinion is that former
Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreiye Alamieyeseigha and former Managing
Director of Bank of the North, Shettima Bulama deserve the pardon only
if they have been promoting transparency, accountability and good
leadership ideals; teaching others to learn from their mistakes. In this
case, they have not.
It is incomprehensible that our laws
provide only two-year maximum jail term with an option of fine for
corruption. I would want the jail term increased to a minimum of 20
years with no option of fine. However, this increase will be useless if
the president can wake up any day and grant pardon to such convicts
before they serve two years. Who would not want to steal billions and
pay fine or simulate sickness, when spending few months jail term in
hospital and supporting the incumbent president will fetch a pardon?
The words of the present administration
are tough on corruption but the actions suggest high tolerance and
romance with corruption. The infamous pardon for Bulama and
Alamieyeseigha has caused the country underserved international ignominy
and ridicule among comity of nations. It has set a very bad precedence
that constitutes severe erosion of our lofty values as well as
institutionalisation of impunity at the highest level of governance.
Corruption is ubiquitous but the
difference is how culprits are treated. We can learn from other climes.
For instance, the immediate past governor of the State of Illinois in
United States was impeached and is now serving a five-year jail term for
attempting to sell President Obama’s senatorial seat; this would deter
people from making such attempts in future.
Sustainable development is incompatible
with severe SIV infection or SIS. Every Nigerian must be part of the
efforts to stop corruption, and it begins with individuals. Religious
institutions should stop practices that abet corruption. Our traditional
values abhor stealing and other forms of criminality so we must stop
the rapid erosion of these values. Let’s transfer the stigma for
HIV/AIDS to SIV/SIS. The time to act is now. God bless Nigeria!
Laz, a physician and public affairs analyst, wrote from the University of Kentucky, United States.
CULLED FROM FLAIRNIGERIA
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