MORAL CORRUPTION, THE WORST CULPRIT
Whenever and wherever Nigerians gather for discussions of any kind, Nigerian political development mention is never in doubt, and they usually delve into how other countries around the globe are developing their polity, building social infrastructures, enhancing their economy while, our leaders here are just wacking our money. Hardly, will you hear of the real issues, the basic necessities, the tripod upon which many developed and developing nation sit on as the fulcrum of the discussion. That is, our moral code, mindset at the way and manner we conduct our selves both in our private and public lives. That is, our sacrifices as citizens in building the country for today and, tomorrow because we all have a stake. Nigerian government over the years, except for the short lived military government of General Muhammadu Buhari, none can boast of anything near building a national culture, code, orientation for Nigerians.
In 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria, then President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP was defeated by, APC's flag bearer and now Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari. Dr. Jonathan with all humility, sense of patriotism, accepted defeat to the shock of all. He quickly sent congratulatory message to the winner, President Buhari; such have not been heard of in Nigeria and, perhaps Africa. And, I think this should set the tone for our modern political development for the new government in power to build on. Again, recently, in Britain, the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair resigned purposely to protect his integrity. He did not commit any fraud, sin against the Queen's own country. His people didn't reject him as the Prime Minister. But, rather because he campaigned vigorously for Britain to remain a member of the EU, which majority of his country men and women rejected at a referendum, based on that he honourably tendered his letter of resignation and left power. This is very significant in the political, moral life of the British people.
Development is not just about building social infrastructure, gigantic buildings, it is much more than that. And, of course, the infrastructure can and will only be sustained by the tripod (national culture) you cast it on. A professor of political science, Okwudiba Nnoli, said in his article titled; Development/Underdevelopment: Is Nigeria Developing? 'development,' he posited, 'is a dialectical phenomenon in which the individual and society interact with their physical, biological, and inter-human environments transforming them for their own betterment and that of humanity at large….' Therefore, Nigerian citizens must be schooled in the act of the basic, fundamentals of development if we must begin to get it right.
The current culture of indiscipline, disloyalty, lack of humility, love, the disdain for other people, public property, the presence of anything goes in our daily lives, religious and ethnic intolerance, promotion of mediocrity, stealing of public funds, budget padding, mismanagement, election rigging, campaign of calumny during elections, unwarranted killings, lawlessness, abuse of rule of law and regulations, self interest, greed, avarice, and others pervading every sphere of human behaviour in our country will not allow the economy, infrastructural development thrive. The Nigerian land is well blessed with human and natural resources, which, if well managed can transform the country into a first world. But, it cannot be well managed when the real ingredients to hold it together are not regarded as important. In developed societies like, Europe, America, Asia, they have a national culture that has helped and it's still helping their political and economic system to succeed, and that is they consider their country first above all other things. It is not so here. In Nigeria, it is about our personal interest first, second and last, the country can burn to ashes, nobody cares.
It is not that the human in those countries are different from us here, no, rather because there are guiding principles they must all adhere to. There is a national culture, a national interest that encourages citizens to be focused on contributing to building a better country for their today and tomorrow. The government cannot be building infrastructures, fighting financial and economic corruption without the people adequately groomed to understand that first and foremost, our behavioural attitude to life matters greatly in development. The love for fatherland will not encourage anyone in or outside government to steal, mismanage, and destroy property belonging to Federal Government of Nigeria or the component States. They require our respect and support to protect at every point in time. Our moral decadence manifests in our growth, development and, that affects us negatively. No doubt, there is citizens' palpable anger against the State because of failure of leadership, commitment among the ruling elites to build a better Nigeria hence, the non- challant attitude of citizens towards anything Nigeria. Therefore, a serious and forward looking government will immediately set up an engine room to galvanise the people to think, see, and act everything Nigerian. The government at the centre can still reclaim the peoples' loyalty and support for the growth and development of Nigeria once again.
Take for instance, why do most Nigerians acquire what they do not need? Go into government for pecuniary gains? It then means our national orientation as Nigerians appears very poor. And something urgently must be done towards that for Nigeria to truly return to its past glory when we used to be proud Nigerians. We cannot fight a successful financial and economic corruption without waging a total war against moral corruption which is the bedrock of financial corruption in our society. Sometime in 2000 or thereabout, I went on a visit to Ikogosi warm water springs with a German friend who was visiting Nigeria then. On our way back to Lagos after two days stay, our car developed problem along the road. The driver parked to attend to it while all passengers on board alighted. I stood at a corner with my friend engaged in a gist, a Mercedes Benz car, V-boot pulled over; in that car were two white men and their driver. They got down and advanced towards us and called on my friend, who excused me, went to meet with them. After about two minutes of discussions, they turned towards their car and my friend came back to me, she narrated their discussions to me. That, they actually offered to give her a ride, since they were driving to Lagos but, that she insisted unless I come with her as she can't leave me behind. There and then, she explained to me that it is the normal practise in Europe; they call it 'park and ride.' That she discovered we don't have that culture here since for minutes several vehicles had driven past us without any bothering to stop to possibly render any assistance in case we are in danger. It simply means we don't have value for human life or there is no love amongst us, Nigerians.
We indeed cannot win against stealing in government offices when we ignore to begin to put up structures to sustain the success of the war against corruption. Attitudinal change, is a must in this campaign, we must deepen it hence it starts from our homes, religious circles, institutions of learning. Nigeria must have a national orientation, culture, attitude, approach, respect for its citizens, the aged, it remains very fundamental to our development as a country. Our leaders will be scratching at the surface when they refuse to recognize the importance at investing and making an in-road towards achieving this. It baffles me that we have a National Orientation Agency, NOA, which is not properly funded and utilized. They need to be well funded and given a clear mandate and plan of action irrespective of the party in power at achieving this goal. Perhaps, a ten year work-plan in the first instance to criss-cross the nooks and cranny of the country in educating, sensitizing and enlightening the people on an accepted behavioural attitudes, moral code and etiquette.
Written by Uzodinma Nwaogbe of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, Ilupeju – Lagos.