Nigeria has been ranked second behind Guinea Bissau in West Africa and 146 out of 180 countries in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index of the Transparency International.
Without doubt, corruption is now the way of life in Nigeria , with particular reference but not limited to,the daily collection of money along the road directly by policemen or by proxy. In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Gran Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that Transparency International should be commended for their efforts to statistically present the progress report of each nation as comparable notes in the globalized world of competitive markets.
What is your reaction to Nigeria’s ranking, second,behind Guinea Bissau in West Africa and 146 out of 180 countries in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index of the Transparency International ?
Nigerian, most especially the poor masses must thank their creator that our nation is richly endowed with vast natural resources and a variety of experts in various disciplines, where services through human capital is desired.
Furthermore, we need to be thankful that we are now in a competitive world of quality awareness and product standard.
We are not an Island to ourselves, but exist under the umbrella of West Africa and the Africa Union as well as the United Nations. What remains of us, is that the efforts of the AU an the UN are directed towards the welfare of every national, in his or her country, whereby each government is usually challenged on the issues of peace and sustainable development, irrespective of whether they have oil or not with all barriers of ethnicity, race and color removed in their operations.
It is a great advantage for any nation to be part of signatories of all international instruments meant to be domesticated for ease of application to suit the peculiarities of culture in order that they are adaptable for adoption.
Transparency International should be commended for their efforts to statistically present the progress report of each nation as comparable notes in the globalized world of competitive markets.
Development in any nation depends highly on the attitude of the people.
This identified environment of development is the basis upon which Government performances shall be rated, when nations begin to respect the research efforts of the AU for African nations and the UN for the world of mankind that will ever desire efforts of governments towards the emancipation of the people.
From the point of view of the three rings of life of human endeavor, functional education is desired to promote productivity and investments in an environment of peace.
The moral demand for mankind to check, monitor, regulate and control human attitude is better sourced from the religious spheres of life to correct aberrations in governance.
This is because the sectors of education and religion are the driving engines for political activities.
The scripture states that whoever is without discipline should be likened to a nation without a fence for all forms of evil and criminality to thrive.
This is the situation of Nigeria under Transparency International's watch and this is also to challenge the government to do the needful rightly, in order that Nigerians do not suffer unnecessarily with a sense of want in the midst of plenty.
It is unfortunate that Nigeria under successive administrations has never been able to deliver in the areas of basic amenities, making 80 per cent of what we wear, the materials for our housing and even the food we eat to be foreign dependent. What is our percentage contribution as a nation in the production of aircraft, vehicles and ship, even in the area of construction, the Nigerian content is still low.
For a large population of more than 200 million we claim to be in Nigeria, sufficiency, adequacy, equality of access and equitable distribution of our sovereign wealth are expected of our system of governance, but because we even fail to develop in the area of skill acquisition, innovation and technology, for only this can develop us into mass production of food , shelter and clothing.
Governance itself has divided the nation into two extreme classes of kleptocracy for the elite and poverty dividends for the already impoverished masses.
Who will change the game ? This is now the question on every lip.
The issue of corruption that is now endemic, as it visibly manifests in every home, among Obas, Emirs and Obis, in the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals as well as in the process of inaugurating a government, is enough challenge for any government worth its salt to face and conquer.
It is unfortunate to note that in our House of God, profanity has replaced sacredness with religious leaders competing in sins and crimes, turning the apex bodies of our religious affairs into pseudo political parties all in the name of having their own share of the national cake through illegal means.
Unfortunately, government handling of the issue whereby those who are ready to join the ruling party are assumed to be immune, not only frustrate the whistle blowers, but all Nigerians who believe in the dignity of labor, social justice, transparency and accountability.
This is of serious concern to the just, who do not believe in playing politics with any human act or attitude that bastardizes values, ridicules integrity and violates the fundamental human rights of our youth, who are daily been denied of their rights to have access to the good things of life which the opportunists are enjoying as luxuries and rights beyond the perception of having a mere privilege to serve the country.
It is therefore, very important for the elite and government to govern with the fear of God by making use of experienced and relevant experts in the appropriate areas of need as well as been people with impeccable character. These are people who must have been informed and reformed by their churches and mosques for them to be able to transform the wretched Nigeria from its present state of plethora.
The efforts of the UN research, policies and programs must be taken wholesomely to improve the lot of Nigerians and must not be in vein.
A situation of poor scoring indices in the areas all indicators must be worked on as achievable must. May God save Nigeria.
Comments