Tackling Corruption With Seriousness

One of the definitions given by the Oxford
Advanced Learners Dictionary to the Term corruption is that it is the act of
making someone change from moral to immoral way of behaving particularly those
in public offices. But it is not just those in public offices alone that are
involved in acts of corruption.

In Nigeria, many people both government and
private individuals have agreed that the development of the country cannot be
as fast as expected unless the issue of corruption is given the serious fight
that it requires. Various governments both past and present have also made
statements that makes one think that they are ready to fight this monster
called corruption.

The effects of corruption in the life of
most Nigerians is better imagined than experienced. It is like a ‘god’, it has
created so many vices in our national life. Among its creations is
unemployment, lack of quality and functional educational system, low spate of
infrastructural development, neglect and violation of human rights etc. all
these and more were created by corruption and it breathed to produce the level
of poverty that is ravaging a country that is blessed with huge diverse human
and natural resources. Today poverty can be seen walking around the streets of
major cities in Nigeria on the faces of the people; women are dying in their
numbers on daily bases during child birth; many Nigerians who should live like
landlords are living like illegal immigrants and worse of all; justice has gone
beyond the ordinary man.

Sadly, it appears that the more efforts are
being made, the more the act is increasing even in geometrical progression. It
is found in all aspects of life in Nigeria. The religious institutions have
paid less emphasis on the dangers of the scourge because they are directly or
indirectly benefiting from it because those who have plundered the nation’s
common wealth come to these places of worship with huge amount of money in the
name of thite or any other name. It has become a tradition that upon being
appointed as anything in government, the person appointed runs to the church or
mosque for thanksgiving on his/her appointment.

The traditional rulers and the elders of
the community from where the appointee hails from often organised some white
collar reception for the appointees; confer chieftaincy titles on such person
even when he/she had done nothing to improve the lots of the people.

Even in the states, corrupt people are
honoured and celebrated. One cannot forget in a hurry the jamboree that was put
together by Ebonyi State government to celebrate their indigenes who are
appointed by the federal government in the present administration even when its
young men and women are scattered in major cities of the country doing
dehumanising jobs.

The federal government, which is always
crying about the menace of corruption, but does nothing tangible to combat this
monster, other than to sending perceived corrupt officials on compulsory
retirement leave, and from there the person is sent forth to go and enjoy his
loot, with his allies.

The judiciary which is supposed to be
incorruptible, standing for the truth at all times and ensuring that corrupt
men and women are not allowed to make laws for the country now appears to be
the safe haven of those who have plundered the country and has left it at the
underdeveloped state it has been since independence in 1960. Members of this
arm of government, senior advocates, and lawyers of reputable chambers readily
make their services available to these men accused  of one crime or the other against humanity,
so as to share from the loot of these people in the name being their advocates.
They quickly remind us of how it is against their fundamental human right to be
detained for long without charge or bail. They tell us that looting of public
treasury, an act which is in the same category as crime against humanity is a
bailable offence

The judge, not wanting to lose the right to
handle high profile cases in the future, forgets how many people that are dying
on daily bases as a result of the corrupt activities of these people, grants
them bail, and in the next hearing, the case will be struck out for lacking
merit. He forgets that as a public servant the man in question was given so
much funds for the development of the people but he did nothing but buy houses,
cars, own business empires while leaving the health and educational system in
disrepair. This is why the case of James Ibori is a clear example of how a case
that lacked merit in Nigeria could put the same man behind bars for 13 good
years in UK.

Even the men of the noble and selfless
profession, the members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm; the media, are not
even exempted from the muddy water of corruption. The brown envelop syndrome
has taken an alarming dimension and has weakened the very fabrics of the
principle of gate keeping powers of the press. The truth is no longer given to
the people; rather news items are now commercialised so those agents of the
devil, the corrupt men are even enjoying good commentaries from the press who
should be the conscience of the society. This is why the Holy Father Pope
Benedict XVI in his Post Synodal Exhortation Afrcae  Munus tells the media that they can avoid the
dangers of corruption if only they are geared towards a vision of the human
person and common good that reflects truly universal values. To achieve this
goal, he says that the media needs to focus on promoting dignity of person and
of peoples.

Public offices are meant to be offices for
the servants of the people, and the people are expected to contribute to the
welfare of those in such offices through their taxes. But today even those who
have killed, and committed all sorts of electoral fraud are welcome into
religious gathering with open arms and are given front seats, they are also
honored in the communities so that they can bring out an insignificant part of
what they have stolen for that group, while the basic reason for their
appointment which is the common development of the people is relegated to the
background. This is a clear indication that we are not yet serious or ready to
fight corruption.

To handle corruption with the seriousness
it deserves, everyone must be ready to do the right thing at any given time.
Appointment into government offices should be on merit and not on party
affiliation or loyalty to the political elites. Those who are dismissed from
the government for any corrupt reason must face trial for what they are accused
of and if convicted should be sentenced to the jail term stipulated in the law.
Traditional and religious leaders must have a mechanism to cheek the source of
wealth of their members and subjects, and always adopt a hard line approach
against any perceived corrupt man or woman in their mist.

The judiciary and security agencies must
live up to expectation. Those who have plundered this country must face the
same humiliation they subjected the people to while they were in power. It is
not only when there is a high profile corruption case that the courts will have
accelerated hearing when  there are
thousands who are in detention just for affray and other minor offences. It is
a known fact that there are so many cases pending in the courts; it will also
be of help if the principle of first come first serve is also applied in
handling corruption cases especially of public servants. For example, if a
public office holder is found to be corrupt and he/she is arrested and charged
to court, all cases before his should be attended to first and above all, people
should be convicted and jailed for acts of corruption if we are sure the fight
against corruption will succeed.

Chimezi writes for News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN).

Izejiobi Kingsley Chimezi