In 2005, when Nuhu Ribadu was the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), he had commented on how some state Governors and other corrupt public officials stole public funds. His comments : '' Nigeria is very rich, but a few people that have access to public funds have made it impossible for the wealth to be judiciously utilized.... that person might have immunity but the law will eventually catch up with him.''
Obviously as unfolding events indicate, a number of state Governors but their ways to office with cash. This is the major reason why governance is epileptic in the affected states.
What can the people do ? Poverty, hunger and unemployment have rendered Nigerians helpless and disillusioned, this resulted in millions experiencing untold hardships during the coronavirus, full and partial lock downs across the nation.
Palliatives to cushion the effects of the forced lock down were for selected and not for all and sundry in most states.
When most states are blessed with abundant human and natural resources, but are still wobbling, then the problem is good leadership. If the leader is honest and even-handed in his or hr dealings with the people, the people will believe in him or her. But when the head is rotten, the rest of the body tends to rot as well. This informs the worrisome level of corruption in the public and civil service across the states, with total debts owed by the states already put at N888.4 billion.
The last 14 months have been a period of quiet discomfort in most states, just as political appointees continue to dissipate energy on keeping sealed lips over the unpredictable state of affairs for pecuniary reasons. The people continue to learn. Perhaps.
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