Issues of corruption in Nigeria, by Angela Okpe

The issue of corruption in Nigeria has been a growing phenomenon, spreading like cancer and now getting to a point of becoming a monster.
Though we have been experiencing a flimsy of it from the existence of the Nigerian state when we got independence from the British, and started ruling ourselves as a republic in 1960.
Then our first set of rulers who emerged in the post- independence began to show traces of corruption as we later discovered when their regime was overthrown by the military in 1966, and evidence emerged that those set of rulers had amassed illegal wealth at the expense of the people.
However, what we saw in the first republic amongst the ruling class was a child’s play compared to what we later experienced during the second Republic from 1979 to 1983 when those set of rulers were later overthrown by another military regime as a result of excessive corruption in the public service.
Caution was thrown overboard by the ruling class as well as those in public offices as civil servants. Corruption got to a head and the commonwealth of the people were grossly embezzled and mismanaged by politicians who held public offices.
The military regimes that came on board were no saints as well as level of corruption during their reign took a more alarming dimension. In fact, arguably the military regimes that ruled Nigeria between 1985 to 1998 instituted high level corruption in the  and since then things have never remain the same.
Those military regimes brazenly embezzled large chunk of Nigeria’s money and amazed unprecedented wealth meant for the development of the country.
Taking a cue from these military regimes, the subsequent civilian regimes that emerged from 1999 till present have taken corruption to a higher level which was well aided by the presidential system of government that we are running.
Hyper level corruption has since been entrenched in all arms of government – executive, legislature and the judiciary.
Things had extremely gone out of hands to the extent that the middle class has been wiped off, leaving only the super rich and the down-trodden poor.

WHY CORRUPTION PERSISTS
The reason why corruption persists in Nigeria is not far-fetched. Little is being done to punish offenders of corruption at both public and private sectors.
The leadership have only been paying lip service in seriously addressing the issue of corruption.
They have been extremely compromised and the resultant effect is taking a toll on the development of the nation, as well as the future of our youths.
Due to high corruption, money meant for infrastructural development are being grossly embezzled.
Money meant for education of our youths are being carted away through corruption, money meant for industrialization of the nation is being stolen brazenly through corruption.
The implication of all these as we are beginning to witness is absolute chaos in the polity. The mass of uneducated youths and the unemployable youths are beginning to constitute nuisance and taking to robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings, internet fraud, and even outright militarization.
The centre can no longer hold in Nigeria due to high level corruption which can no longer be curbed. The religious leaders could not also come to the rescue as they are not left out in the orgy of corruption.
Our various religious houses are always preaching prosperity rather than admonish the people to embrace decent life. Outright corruption also exist and persist in our various religious organizations, as most religious leaders are no longer setting good examples, and are not being models for their followers.

Angel Okpe is a 300level of Unimaid, angelbokpe@yahoo.com