NIRAN ADEDOKUN FROM PUNCH
Nigeria has more problems with corruption and abuse of office than we realise. And that ignorance or pretence at it is even more crippling than the corruption that we all worry about.
A problem known is half solved. But when you fail or refuse to get to the roots of a challenge, you will, at best, seek, find, and deploy ill-fitting solutions, which may be ineffectual or outright injurious. This is why Nigeria’s rentier nature gets complicated daily.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission currently has its hands full with the investigation of three prominent Nigerians. These three, incidentally beneficiaries of public office, are accused of humongous fraud or attempts at fraud, which remain to be proved.
The country is once again stunned by the audacity and mindlessness of the dramatis personae, who are incidentally, all women! But we are not asking the question as to why misconduct in public office, hitherto seen as a predominantly male tendency, now seems to have crossed the gender border.
In “how Nigeria makes ‘thieves’ of its citizens,” published on May 26, 2022, I wrote: “Following the arrest of the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, (for alleged money laundering and diversion of about N80bn), the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning appointed Mr Anamekwe Nwabuoku to oversee the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“Days after the government named him, unconfirmed reports indicated that allegations of corruption against Nwabuoku also existed at the EFCC. The social media post reminded Nigerians that Idris’ predecessor, Mr Jonah Otunla, was also accused of diversion of funds and charged to court. Otunla, however, entered a plea bargain and returned the sum of N6.4bn to the Federal Government instead of prosecution. Even if the report about Nwabuoku is untrue, we have uncontroverted evidence that two of the three AGFs between 2011 and date have betrayed the country’s trust. That is enough reason to worry.”
So, the abuse of office in Nigeria is almost a matter of course. Even from the list of people under discussion, the abuse or alleged abuse of office transcends gender, age, ethnicity, and religion! Every possible demography in Nigeria is represented in this group, a reality, which should make us contemplate enduring solutions.
So, why do people abuse public office in Nigeria?
One fundamental reason is the perception that it is an avenue to acquire wealth and do so with impunity. Unlike in other places where people aspire to serve in public office, the people are at the backburner in the minds of most of those who aspire and ultimately attain political office in Nigeria.
For instance, without prejudice to her innocence, there is a video wherein the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, testified at a religious gathering about the fulfilment of her craving for a ministerial appointment. So, you wonder, what is the “blessing” in a ministerial appointment?
In societies where democracy works for the people, a call to public office is a considerable sacrifice. It takes a toll on their everyday lives and businesses and, often, leaves them poorer, materially.
But not Nigeria! Here, many of those who gain public office have no other means of livelihood. In cases where some of these people have a second address as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Muiz Banire would say, they are ready to invest their entire livelihood in securing office, with plans to recoup upon their appointment! This is the manifestation we currently grapple with.
Unfortunately, this wrong perception of the essence of public office doesn’t end with officeholders. Most citizens see public office as a money-spinner – an opportunity for their friends and family members to acquire as much wealth as possible.
It is so bad that if these associates complete their tenures without a dramatic turn in their finances, they become public pariahs. And when people are caught in their malfeasance, those who get the venom from most Nigerians are the greedy ones who aren’t liberal with their illegally acquired resources. Those who democratise the lucre encounter less criticism, and may, in fact, be decked in honours.
