“Being
a billionaire in Nigeria today without corruption is impossible.” These
words were attributed to a former Minister of External Affairs, Prof.
Bolaji Akinyemi, on Saturday.
The
erudite professor of International Relations and Diplomacy stated this
in Akure, the Ondo State capital while delivering the second term
inauguration lecture of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
Akinyemi spoke on the topic, ‘Leadership, Democracy, and Development.’
The
event which was chaired by a former Nigerian High Commissioner to
United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, had in attendance seasoned
diplomats, senior citizens, politicians, former governors, traditional
rulers and religious leaders from within and outside the country.
Akinyemi
said, “No one can be a billionaire in Nigeria today without being
corrupt. If you are a businessman, you would have evaded tax or other
levies like import duties with the active connivance of those in charge.
“Your
entire income as a political office holder, either elected or
appointed, cannot make you a billionaire without indulging in corrupt
practices. It is also not possible for you to work and retire as a civil
servant in whatever capacity and become a billionaire without being
corrupt.
“I
know I am stepping on sensitive toes but I can handle that. Unless our
leaders tackle the issue of corruption and offer selfless service to the
people, our democracy may not produce the desired development we are
all expecting.”
Akinyemi
decried the situation where Nigerians sacrificed their value systems on
the altar of greed, indiscipline, selfishness and insatiable craze for
material wealth acquisition.
He
said, “There are no more values to hold on to. Parents not only
encourage their children to cheat in order to beat the system but also
aid and abet them in their nefarious activities. No one believes anymore
in the concept of society.
“Nigerians
have created their own God in their own image. In my youth, to be
accused of theft or any other criminal offence was tantamount to being
banished from the society while to be convicted was tantamount to
suicide.
“However, today, no one asks for the source of wealth. People in jail, accused of murder run for, and win elections.
“More
than a score of members of the Senate have EFCC court cases hanging
against them. Only in Nigeria do you steal billions and escape with less
than a million naira fine.”
Akinyemi
noted that the problem did not start today as it was created by the
military following the coup that displaced the first civilian generation
of Nigerian leaders.
“Only
three years after independence, whatever system existed was shattered
by the thoughtless overthrow of the western regional government and from
then on, politics of development was replaced by politics of looting,”
he stated.
TalkOfNaija
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