Corruption has been identified as  cancerous virus that leads to political, cultural and socio-economic decay in Nigeria.
Professor of Educational Evaluation at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni,  Port Harcourt,  Prof. Mamudu Nasiru Obadah stated this at the third valedictory lecture session of the institution with the topic: “Academic Corruption, Abuses of Attained Accolades and Positions for Underdevelopment of Nigeria”.
“Corruption is something that hit us so hard and has so many disadvantages such that our children are not getting the right education, our economy has dropped to the lowest.
“As we speak part of the degradation, they have just discovered about 58 terminals where our oil money is been slowly with an export terminal that is about 30km long established about 10 years ago if you know the humungous amount of money that Nigeria has lost as such, we cannot meet the production quota again given by OPEC and the country is broke due to the thieves that are everywhere.
“There is this saying that any abnormality happening in any country that lasts more than one month, the government’s hand is there, I am not saying so, but that is what they are saying outside here.
“I am suggesting that we, as academicians we should carry our head high, it is true that we don’t have money like the people in the House of Assembly, but we should attach so much importance to that calling that says a good name is better than silver and gold. We should classify ourselves as those following the dictates of the creator,” Obadah added.
Presenting his valedictory book to the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, Professor Obadah who dwelt on academic corruptions at its various levels, the causes, abuses of academic achievements and it’s dangerous implications for national development, condemned the endless face-off between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that is affecting students and parents negatively.
He identified piracy, examination malpractice, teachers or lecturers’ quest for money or sex from the opposite gender to pass grades , NDDC contract failures, pension’s funds  and subsidy scandals as root causes for the  country’s underdevelopment and poverty capital of the world, where snake can swallow money  and someone can collapse to eavde financial fraud explanations against him.
The university don revealed that the corruption explosion in the country is caused by the long term negligence, greed and promotion of corruption in all sectors without  severe measures to snuff out the canker-worms bedevilling the country blessed with milk and honey.
Declaring the valedictory lecture open, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Rumuolumeni, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, explained that the third valedictory and six inaugural lecturer of the Institution has served meritoriously for 42 years, still active despite his age of retirement.
He advised students and lecturers to always obey the academic principles as any defaulter will face the wrath of the law.
The university don appreciated the academic prowess of Professor Obadah and wished him well in his new life’s endeavours as a senior citizen of the country.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana