Insincerity, Not bad Leadership nor bad Governance, Bane of Nigeria

By megwu Onwumere

Corruption isn't only fraudulent activity or illegal embezzlement of public funds by the politicians and their agents; corruption in all facets of Nigeria is intact. From our homes to our hospitals, there are corrupt practices. Imagine where a father married for the sake of having children that would answer his name that he can not be able to train? All his joy is that he has children. What shall we call that kind of practice, if not corruption? Or, where a doctor bases his treatment on assumption owing to the fact that many hospitals here are under-equipped? All that the doctor wanted was the money that the patient before him can cough out. What about in the schools where students have to pay heavily to making sure they pass their exams to the handouts of the rapacious preceptor? What about the church that has mostly perverted the SOUND doctrine for the pursuit of financial gains? So, when corruption is mentioned, no one should think that he or she is corrupt-free, but what we have to do is to readjust from our heinous ways for the taming of corrupt practices. But the government, due to its lagging in follow-up of laid-down policies but for its selfish interests owe Nigerians apology because it's the bastion of corruption and corrupt practices, which was why it is as if corruption is only intact among politicians.


Why it's as if politicians are too corrupt in Nigeria is because of the fact that they care often for themselves and their next-of-kins, trampling with their foot the agitation and hope of the masses. There is little or no honesty among many Nigerians, either. That was why the lame-duck governances in Nigeria can't be pinned to bad leadership or bad governance but on insincerity and lack of honesty. This was why even when a government is running, due to the people around it are insincere, nothing meaningful could be achieved, because, again, the people in and within the corridors of power are insincere but make promises they knew that they will never fulfill.


It's not about being hungry that many Nigerians are corrupt and deceive their followers and steal money meant for the public, but because they are kleptomaniac. Many Nigerians who are bent on hoodwinking their family members and the general public are not just crooks, but are insincere goons. And when a people are not sincere, how would one expect wonder that crime and corruption will not continue to be the fastest growing commerce in Nigeria? This instinct makes a people worthless before the comity of peoples.

Apart from insincere practices among many Nigerians, other heinous factors that have increased corruption are self-adulation and sycophancy. Kleptomaniac is a dangerous disease besetting the Nigerian clime. This never-seem-tired of asking for more is a dangerous epidemic. That is what makes a man breed a dozen children he can not take good care of, and make politicians stash away billions of dollars Nigerian banks can't contain.

Where corruption is now a serious Nigeria phenomenon, the institutions set for the fight of this monster is without doubt even corrupt. How can an institution continue to fight corruption on the pages of the newspapers and on the radio and television without any scapegoats being sentenced to years' imprisonment? This is where the rain began to beat us! They only arraign those they were able to arrest and take them to court and discharge them on many million naira bail-charge, yet Nigeria is fighting corrupt leaders or politicians.


Sorry! It has been corruption all through in Nigeria from when the gluttons called our imperial masters came here in 1861 to date. And Aso-Rock being a beehive of corruption, the whole parts of this Rock is also tainted. The vessel is leaking from the roof. Imagine where a president even accepted that even the election that made him be in their Aso-Rock was marred by irregularities and corruption! That shows that the Aso-Rock is the fountain of corruption in Nigeria if a president could accept that he did not become a president on a clean bill of democratic electoral norms and ties of the electorate. It's only a pity that Nigeria is a place where no one loses his or her job when found culpable, as far as the person has a link with Aso-Rock.


The funniest of it all is that everybody is shouting corruption and corrupt practices without anyone coming to say oh, “I am corrupt!” Every Nigerian is a saint except the politicians? The fight against corruption should start from our various homes. Corruption is disconcerting and huge. Everybody should know that corruption leads to slow mental intellectuality. Corruption is not only the bane of Nigeria but insincerity against the belief by many that corruption is the bane of Nigeria.

Though corruption is endemic among politicians but insincerity is the most common among many Nigerians. Since the Nigerian government is trying its alleged politicians, why can't it probe the philander called Sir Lord Lugard and his cohorts for their bestial governances meted out on Nigeria and Nigerians?

Odimegwu Onwumere is the Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), and a Media Consultant based in Rivers State. Mobile: +2348032552855. Email: [email protected]