Nigeria is still the world’s greatest in spite of her challenges. It will emerge someday as the best thing that has ever happened to the black race and the entirety of mankind. The challenges she has are not without solutions but they can’t be solved for us by foreigners. Our natural resources and endowments are enviable; it is a major factor for the scramble. If foreigners are invited and privileged to solve our problems, they will exploit us still. We can’t forget the colonial opportunists. Our human resources are enviable as well and it is the closest to the actuality of otherworldly. The problems that we are currently facing are readily identified, analyzed and probable solutions proffered. This however is not a guarantee that we will come out fine. If identified, is it the real problem? If analyzed, how effective? How far is it going to go? What is puzzling is if the problems and vices are highlighted, there is something always underlying them. This must really be the problem, not any other thing. If it is dealt with, the whole world will then see that our challenge is just a click away.
If an average Nigerian is asked what our problems are, the response is definitely going to be bad leaders, dirty politics and things related. You might also add; bad governance, poor health care delivery, poor educational sector, bad roads and poor electricity or power etc. This can only be a problem where there are no resources. This is not so in this privileged country. The resources available are unlimited but how to manage has become a problem because it is enormous. This is just a minute part of the issue because the problem that is causal of all our struggles, pains and distractions in Nigeria is Corruption. Our problem then is just a click away if it’s really corruption. If it can be addressed and dealt with as a problem, then we are sure of living in the Nigeria of our dream in this generation. Our challenge with is major and one and it’s just a click away if we will accept and do all it takes to root out of our society. Corruption is it and not what we have often identified it to be.
The actuality of corruption is the fact that it is not a Nigeria factor. It is obtainable in every nation of the earth and wherever humans can be found. It is essentially a human factor and not Nigeria factor. Therefore, it can be eradicated in Nigeria if we really want to fight it. Secondly, Nigeria is not the most corrupt country or state on earth. There are so called ‘developed’ countries that are more corrupt. But it is not noticeable in their governance, they don’t divert public money to private account for any reason many at times. Moreover, when they release the money, they follow it, they don’t assume that it’s going to be used for what it is intended. They are also doing the rating of who is corrupt and who is not. However, this doesn’t undermine corruption in Nigeria. It is really with us and it must be dealt with before it spoils our heritage and the future of the upcoming generation. It’s an issue and it must be dealt with, but how?
We must revisit our past. How did we start to miss it? Questions must be asked. Defaulters and pilfers must be brought to book. This war is not individualistic but collective. It can’t be fought and won by a famed financial crime leader but by everybody’s responsibility. If everyone would arise and fight the war against it, Nigeria is going to good at the end of the war against corruption. It is a call to the actuality of patriotism. George Bernard Shaw writes “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it”. Nigeria is superior, it’s the country of our birth but the greatness must move from being wished to being lived. Nigeria is still alive and be very great if we would all fight corruption. The war against it starts now and it won’t start at Aso Villa or at National Assembly…it starts with you. In that your own little corner, are you corrupt or not? Let’s start with you before we start the big fight. Nigeria is Alive!
