Femi Falana
For most Nigerians, a discussion of corruption is often an opportunity
to lambast the state and its managers. The media will continue to report
cases of corruption. Sometimes corruption probe panels turn out to be
the subject of probes themselves! In other words, a demon calling the
devil bad! It is based on the foregoing that the state has always
received knuckles. But is blaming the state the only response that
should guide our response to corruption? Why has public focus been
limited to the activities of the state and its actors? What happens to
the individual and group levels of analysis in the corruption matrix? Is
the state the only liable institution?
We should ask the unasked questions in our attempt at locating and
fighting corruption. First, what are individuals doing wrongly in the
fight against corruption? Secondly, how do groups in the society, some
of which often claim to fight corruption, contribute to the flourishing
of the menace?
In a society where corruption is centralised, monies stolen from the
public purse is redistributed and used to create employment and
infrastructure within the society. Thus, rather than send such monies to
Swiss or British Banks as the late Gen. Sani Abacha and Mr. James Ibori
did thereby creating employment in Switzerland and Britain, the
organised corruption follows the methodology of Suharto of Indonesia. It
is therefore argued that the Suharto regime did not condone the
exportation of corruption largesse hence the development of Indonesia
today! What would have happened if all the stolen funds from Nigeria
were retained in the Nigerian economy?
The State and Graft punishment
However, a cursory examination of the ant-graft laws in Nigeria today
will reveal that there are sufficient laws to deal with the issue of
corruption. Sadly however, according to the perception index of
Transparency International, Nigeria was ranked 144th out of the 146
countries, beating Bangladesh and Haiti to last position. The KPMG also
recently released a report in which Nigeria was ranked as the most
corrupt state in West Africa.
As stated above, it is not because Nigeria does not have sufficient
laws to deal with the issue of corruption. In fact, there may be very
few countries with more anti-graft laws, the problem however, is that
there is no political will in addition to the fact that our system
harbours sacred cows and the “untouchables”. We are all witnesses to the
Halliburton scandal and how it was bungled by Nigeria in order to
shield the powerful.
In other words, while accused persons may file interlocutory appeals,
the EFCC should have enough courage to drag judges who grant orders
staying proceedings to the National Judicial Council (NJC). Similarly,
lawyers who file such sham applications and other frivolous motions
should be reported to the disciplinary committee of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA) for gross misconduct.
Corruption in Nigeria, no doubt has assumed a dangerous dimension,
which percolates all the strata of the society. The civil society is not
spared in this menace. In fact, it has so much eaten deep into the
fabrics of our society that the hitherto insulated places have now been
taken over by corruption. Rather than being a conscience of the masses,
the civil society has become a tool in the hands of corrupt people. Our
NGOs have become corruption vessels and the effect is what we see today -
a society without conscience.
Foreign aids meant for specific roles have been converted to personal
use. Gone were the days when NGOs stood and spoke for the oppressed
masses; now, they are agents of retrogressive, oppressive and corrupt
personnel. The situation is even made worse due to the proliferation of
NGOs where people just register organisations whimsically.
The roles of religious bodies in the fight against corruption have also
become a source of worry. These bodies have become haven for corrupt
individuals whose monies are used to sustain them. Instead of speaking
the truth, religious leaders have suddenly become appendages of the
ruling class using their vantage position to enrich themselves at the
expense of the poor members of their congregation who often see them as
next to God.
Why is it that in spite of the stinking poverty in the country,
religion is hastily becoming another source of psychological trauma for
the ordinary Nigerian? A poor man goes to church or mosque and is
greeted with SUVs and other flashy vehicles belonging to the cleric.
Even when the congregation cannot afford to eat two balanced square
meals in a day, some of our religious fathers deliberately or
inadvertently display wealth? Do the religious fathers think about
repercussion of some of their actions? How many religious leaders are so
committed to feel for the poor families in their congregation to a
point where they are touched to leave out some of the worldly things
like gold wrist watches and of recent private jets? For a good number of
youths, it is not therefore evangelism or the love of Christ that makes
them heed the call, rather it is a bid to become like my pastor in
materialistic wealth. Most especially, while industries are grounding,
religious structures are rising.
Hence, a new source of wealth has arrived. It then becomes easy to
understand why some of the most corrupt individuals in Nigeria find it
easy to go to churches and mosques on Sunday and Friday without fearing
that tough messages await them there.
You would recall that a few years ago, there was a move by a state
government to impose taxes and levies on churches, mosques and other
religious centres. All those who were opposed to the policy should be
having a second thought in view of the growing opulence of some
religious leaders. In the United Kingdom a Nigerian "bishopreneur" is
currently being investigated for fraud by the police. Indeed, one of the
issues being looked into is the propriety of collecting tithes from
poor congregants only to channel the proceeds to acquire limousines and
private jets.
Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly was reported to have
said that not until the religious leaders, including himself, were
incarcerated, there wouldn't be sanity in the churches. He said churches
have failed their congregations, as pastors have now become tyrants,
oppressors and leaders without care for their followers.
In a swift reaction, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who acquired his jet a couple of weeks
ago, took a swipe at Bakare for condemning their crave for jets and
opulent life. He said everything a pastor could get for evangelism
should be acquired. Not minding the economic situation of the people, I
think the statement credited to this leader is uncharitable knowing full
well that many Christians today would fare well if the resources used
in buying these jets are made available to them. Just like Bakare said,
there is need for sanity also in the civil society. It is sad that poor
members of the congregation cannot afford to put their children in the
schools ‘owned’ by their churches or mosques because the tuition fees
are colossal and beyond their reach. What a sad plight!
If this is the case, then, the tax authorities must extend their
dragnets to all religious centres where substantial income is generated
on a regular basis in the name God. A few months ago, a contractor
donated a church worth several millions of naira to the Otuoke community
in honour of President Goodluck Jonathan. Just last week, an
ex-president raised N400 million to build a small mosque in the premises
of a library. Such business ventures and schools including universities
set up by religious institutions which charge exorbitant fees that the
children of the poor members cannot afford should pay taxes to the
state. The prosperity pastors who are buying jets to preach the gospel
to those who wallow in abject poverty should be assessed according to
their wealth and be made to pay commensurate taxes. After all, they pay
appropriate fees for parking their jets at local and international
airports at home and abroad.
In reaction to bias of the law in favour of the bourgeoisie there has
been a popular demand by Nigerians for the introduction of the death
penalty in corruption cases. Since armed robbers are sentenced to death
for robbing individuals violently of a few thousands of naira, it is
logical to argue that those who divert billions of naira budgeted for
fixing of roads and equipping of hospitals which led to the loss of many
innocent lives should face the death penalty.
Notwithstanding the horrendous effect of corruption in the society, we
should not be frustrated to support the campaign for the brutalisation
of humanity through the death penalty. Even in Nigeria, our experience
with murder and armed robbery has proved that the death penalty is not a
deterrent for violent crimes. A state that cannot enforce a law that
prescribes a punishment of two years for money laundering will frustrate
the trial of any member of the ruling class for corruption under a law
that provides for the death penalty. While the Criminal Code has
prescribed the death penalty for certain offences, the Lagos High Court
has held that the execution of the death penalty by firing squad or
hanging is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the fundamental
rights of convicts to dignity guaranteed by section 34 of the
constitution.
Lest I forget, parents too are no longer the representation of exemplar
behaviours. Thousands of parents know that their children are corrupt
but won’t speak up. Rather they thank God for giving them “the
opportunity”. Children without any job buy cars and parents are not
perturbed. The role of the family as the first point of socialisation
is being challenged by greed just as in some grandeur men of God. Elite
theorists, in spite of their criticisms have noted that the masses are
gullible. Unfortunately, Nigerian masses seem to represent this
gullibility. There was Occupy Nigeria for increase in fuel but what has
happened with the multi-billion cases of corruption? Nigerians as
individuals are still waiting to hold their leaders accountable.
What is to be done?
My conclusion is simple: Nigerians must take their destiny in their own
hands. Nigerians must know that corruption does not just happen but it
survives on the level of morality at the individual and group levels.
Youths must shake themselves out of the bondage of unscrupulous
politicians who have nothing to offer but the bastardisation of values.
Where are their children? Ask yourselves? Progressive religious leaders
must take back religion from the business people that have hijacked it
for materialistic gains.
