Yes, Corruption is abominable. Yes, in Nigeria it is exceptionally so, when you consider the very clear and direct relationship between corruption and the deplorable life we, the commonmen and women live. We have no guarantee our kids could get the education they need to face life in a challenging borderless world community; we have no health service to talk of, even when the president's wife forces friends of government who get all the patronage to raise N10 billion for a truely white elephant CANCER CENTRE in Abuja, the federal capital, when every state hospital has a cancer unit that is not catered for by government; we have no electricity - at the moment barfely 1,000 megawatts is available and rationed for a population of 150 million Nigerians, including the remaining industries that manage in such climes.
We have a nation where every chief of police gets arrested after his term in office for corruption, the latest Mike Okiro is said to have concurrently managed a private enterprise that got hundreds of millions in loans that helped to collapse a failed bank, We have a police that shoots frustrated ignorants who buck the system as happened in the Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf, who led his frustrated followers on an orgy of violence after scores had been shot months back for not using crash helmets as they ride to a funeral in Maidugri, the Borno State capital.
We have a court system that validates elections, which even candidates -- favoured by a totally corrupt electoral commission, which is farcically referred to as independent -- accept as the most rigged in Nigerian history.
We have a government headed by two former university lecturers, president Umaru Yaradua (M.Sc) and vice president Jonathan Goodluck (Ph.D) that refuses to end a university lecturers strike in its 2nd or 3rd month, while their sons and daughters and those of practically all leading thieving political office holders, past and present (probably minus those of the Buhari-type) studying in foreign universities or universities magnanimously set up with the proceeds of their corrupt crime by Nigeria's leading thieving military/political elite.
The majority of the commoners in Nigeria are either farmers tilling their petty patches or petty traders and artisans living in the rural areas or in the dense slums of gthe cities. They inhabit rural and city jungles that hardly have government presence, yet their sons are used as thugs to make ends meet by the misguided leadership. \
Corruption by the leadership, corruption unpunished, is the cause of their poverty. Corruption is what kills off their kids. Corruption is what stultifies the potential in their farms, as little or no inputs get to them from government, yet billions and trillions are budgeted for the purpose every year.
Lack of good governance is the issue. Corruption is what stops elections and orderly transfer of power; the commoners votes hardly count, in political parties or in General Elections.
But despite all this, killing off all political leaders is not a solution. Violent revolutions, coups d'etat are not a solution.
When Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeougwu led the madness that precipitated Nigeria's civil war in the 1960s, our problems were not solved! In fact they became worse. Apart from the Murtala Muhammed and later Muhammadu Buhari military coups every other coup was as disastrous as Nzeougwu's, including the misguided Gideon Orkar putsch.
What we need today is a coalition of serious minded Nigerian elites from all corners, religions and tribes to get together in every state, and in every local government to present a unified nationalist front against corruption and for good governance. It is this elite that can save Nigeria and turn its fortunes by seeking transparent and tested leaders at all levels.
This coalition if committed to the cause of Nigeria can provide the necessary leadership with the required sacrifice, including the author of the article above (.."It Is Time To Execute Corrupt Officials" written by Sabella Ogbobode Abidde on SaharaReporters.com on Thursday, 20 August 2009, 01:36) to make sure it is no more buisiness as usual.
If we are not all a vigilante for our present and future generations we have no right to continue pontificating and calling for what could just turn into a bloodbath led by a madman who would just use the excuses created to enthrone another injustice in place of the existing injustice we all suffer. After all Malcolm X Muhammad Shabbaz did remind us that "revolution is bloody, revolution knows no compromise . ." Who and who would be victims if we embrace the path of violence?
Nigerians should grow up; Nigerians should learn to use the system that is now universal to get what they need, democracy and good governance is the way and poverty will God willing be a thign of the past so too will corruption. If we all are serious, not just playing to the gallery. So help us God!
Re: It Is Time To Execute Corrupt Officials written by Sabella Ogbobode Abidde on Sahara Reporters (Thursday, 20 August 2009 01:36)Additional comments by
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