Confronting centuries of corruption

Source: pointblanknews.com

By Ima Niboro
In more than a decade since the end of its military rule, Nigeria has made

significant strides toward solidifying itself as a bastion of democracy.

Today, Nigeria prides itself as a country with open elections and freedom

of the press, the right to due process and an independent judiciary.

But in spite of the substantial progress achieved, Nigeria, as with

developing countries across the globe, remains victim to a history haunted

by colonial injustices and insurgent pressures. In the decades that

followed colonial rule, military dictators and a brutal civil war scarred

Nigeria's growth, opening the country to a long stretch of corrupt

leadership by military dictators, and civil unrest.

This history predates President Goodluck Jonathan.
If history is any guide, confronting corruption rooted in centuries of

development does not happen overnight. It is a slow and fragile process,

requiring concerted efforts steered by a committed leadership. Of late,

Nigeria faces a bitter battle against a growing insurgency, yet the

nation—under the astute governance of the current administration— has come

a long way in moving forward.
Policies emplaced and measures continually underway reflect the

president's steadfast commitment to establishing transparency and

credibility across all government institutions. He has uncovered and

seized fraudulent money from corrupt officials, dismissed judges for

abusing their powers, led Nigeria as one of the first signatories to an

anti-money laundering act, passed legislation to permit open scrutiny of

government businesses, and established partnerships to ensure credibility

in the country's electoral process.
The groundwork in place to confront corruption has enabled the

government's success in responding to domestic threats. As the Ebola

outbreak rampaged the country's major cities, President Jonathan partnered

with state governments and international NGOs to provide medical aid and

develop innovative approaches to treat Ebola victims, successfully

containing the virus in-country while deploying Nigerian volunteers to

lead efforts abroad. His Victims Support Fund provides relief for those

impacted by Boko Haram violence and his Safe Schools Initiative, and

subsequent construction of hundreds of schools, serves to protect

Nigeria's academic system and ensure children's right to education, most

among Nigeria's northeastern region where school enrollment lags behind

other areas.
Yet despite this remarkable progress, Nigeria faces the constant peril of

an escalating terror threat. Centuries of civil unrest fueled the

evolvement of Boko Haram, the terrorist organization that has claimed

thousands of innocent lives over the past four years. Since 2013, the

president has instituted a state of emergency in three Nigerian

northeastern states facing the worst of Boko Haram's threat. He has

established anti-terror measures to better equip and effectively train the

military. And he has engaged in active negotiations to secure the release

of the Chibok girls—all the while protecting the country from the very

terrorists ravaging its soil.
Jonathan assumed his position in a national landscape laden by societal

woes. Since 2010, his administration has worked tirelessly to institute

measures to allow Nigeria to establish itself as an open, transparent

nation that safeguards the democratic rights of the Nigerian people.

Clearing the roots is the key to creating a sustainable foundation in the

fight against corruption. The President and his administration continue

building onto these measures, keeping Nigeria moving forward in the face

of daunting odds.
Niboro is managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria, a state-run

news reporting organization.
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