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 There's a wind of change blowing across Nigeria. It is warm, gentle and soothing and blowing in the right direction. The Good can sense it and their hearts and minds are filled with hope and great expectations. The Bad feel it too, but they are extremely worried, unsettled and disapproving. For this wind of change brings with it tidings of a new dawn in the way political affairs are run in Nigeria. Very encouraging signs that those who see corruption as a way of life will no longer have a free run.
For the first time in our history those who pilfer state funds are being exposed. No longer being hailed as Smart Alecs who took what they could when they could. Nigerians are beginning to realize that only a few benefit from this preposterous display of greed, whilst the masses suffer the consequences of their actions. These days fraudsters are viewed differently as more and more realize the damage they do the rest of us. People have come to realize that their kleptomaniactic travails only benefited them, whilst lumbering the rest of the nation with a tarnished reputation. Back then anyone who was righteous and law abiding was considered foolish or unexposed. Some 419ers even bragged about their exploits, pompously rode around town in flashy cars, the rewards of their smart escapades. In the political arena it was business as usual, people vieing for political office with other people's lives, motivated by the bounty they knew could be theirs if they succeeded. Strange bedfellows emerged, united in a common goal of looking to milk the nation dry. Past thieving politicians held sway, surrounded by followers who's loyalty they'd secured with ill-acquired wealth.
To put it candidly Nigeria had become a gangster's paradise. A nightmare nation whose reputation was worse than even the most sadistic dictator. Its citizens, whether good or bad, became the subject of suspicion and victimisation wherever they went, tainted by an inherited thieving reputation. Many found it difficult to get jobs. Those who managed to were kept well away from anything remotely connected to money. At one stage, some Nigerians claimed the nationality of other African nations just to get by. That's how bad it got.
In spite of our worsening reputation, the corruption disease just refused to leave Nigeria alone. In fact it became even more wildly spread, permeating all levels of society, with modern crooks trying to out-steal their predecessors. Imagine an Inspector General of police, meant to be the epitome of law, order and respectability, loot money meant for ensuring the security and lives of the people he'd promised to serve. The audacity, voracity and cruelty defies logic. That said all of these people were just products of the long running Nigerian system. A system which was gradually turning its citizens into thieves and stealing just another regular occupation.
So here we are today, 'one incarcerated cross-dressing governor and two disgraced IGs later'. We see a band of ex-governors being subjected to serious interrogations about the tons of money that went astray whilst in their care. Tons of money meant for the development and sustenance of their people. Money that ought to have been used to build houses, roads, improve our children's education, provide pipe-borne water and electricity. Instead it went to satisfy the mammoth greed of people who ought to have known better. These men just couldn't resist the temptation to amass stupendous wealth, knowing fully well they were depriving many in the process. Living big when most were living small. Ignoring the wisdom which suggests that there really is enough for everyone's need, "though not enough for everyone's greed', as my brother aptly concluded during one of our conversations. Now they are facing the wrath of a new morally invigorated society and must pay for the crimes they've committed.
So as we bask in the intoxication of how the so-called high and mighty are beginning to fall, it is worth pausing to reflect on how we have arrived at this encouraging destination. Well, it all began in 1999 when Nigeria replaced years of military governance with a democratic one, even though the man who turned out to head this change happened to be a former military ruler. But as we've come to see, everything happens for a reason. The incoming of Mr Olusegun Obasanjo marked the beginning of Nigeria's retreat from eternal doom. Hardened sceptics and biased individuals will undoubtedly disapprove of this assertion. They only see him as an evil tyrannic individual, who is immensely corrupt and wishes Nigeria no good. They never see any good and are on a constant negative roller-coaster ride. No effort is good enough for them. No progress fast enough. If you show them a basketful of apples, they will only see or choose to see the one bad one. Perhaps they've never heard of the profound adage which says that 'one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch'. Curiously some of them ended up exalting the very bad apples.
Still I know that sensible and reasonable Nigerians believe otherwise. We see the changes and strides Nigeria has made since. The Obasanjo administration must have had a goal in mind when it established the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The spate of fraud and corruption, as I described earlier, had destroyed Nigeria beyond belief and something drastic had to be done. If Obasanjo himself had ever been party to corruption in the past, he knew things had to be done differently this time or else Nigeria was destined for total abyss. And so came the appointment of a rather soft-toned but indomitable individual, Nuhu Ribadu, to head this organisation. That single appointment was what gave birth to a new way of dealing with fraud and corruption and set a new wheel of fortune in motion. With Ribadu, Nigerians began to experience scenarios they had previously never imagined possible. For the first time corruption was being tackled with such robustness and sense of duty like had never been witnessed before, leaving many in awe of just how Ribadu and his team were able to carry out their duties in Nigeria's notoriously dangerous political waters. Suffice to say that the good Lord has Nigeria in his sight after all.
I feel Obasanjo himself might have been taken aback by Ribadu's sheer bravery and tenacity. Rinadu has been a revelation and blessing to this country. He has proven that we do have decent citizens who place the welfare of their fellow citizens above the lure of riches. His actions have stunned many, particularly those who couldn't picture a Nigerian who didn't succumb to bribery. Yet this is happening before our very eyes. It means political office will no longer be viewed as a springboard to untold riches. Perhaps this is why some so vehemently despise former Obasanjo for ever appointing someone like Ribadu. He has thrown a huge spanner in their works. Yet he is not the only one of such brilliant appointments. Dora Akunyili of NAFDAC is another in the same mould. Tenacious, generous and determined to stop Nigerians dying so that unscrupulous people can get rich.
Yet some group of people claim Nigeria is at its worst. Do they not see the sanity and success that has returned to banking and financial sector due the appointment of Charles Soludo as Central Bank Governor, aided by Ribadu's anti-graft war! These are the same group of people who accuse Ribadu of being corrupt, and nothing but Obasanjo's stooge, being used against his enemies. Firstly, they claimed he was being used to attack opposition party members. When PDP members were found to make up most of those accused of corruption, they claimed it was because they stood against the third-time bid. This, they wished the whole nation will use as the barometer to adjudge who was a decent progressive politician. This band of incontinent and despicable persons think they can hoodwink Nigerians by confusing the situation. They tried to lobby President Yar Adua to drop Ribadu as head of the EFCC. They chose the wrong man. Yar Adua is Mr Anti-Corruption himself, and any attempt to dislodge someone like Ribadu will only discredit his stance that he's out to tackle corruption.
Nuhu Ribadu earns my respect and certainly deserves the applause and encouragement of all well meaning Nigerians. We need to be wary of those who kick-up dust in defence of clearly corrupt ex-governors. People who continually operate along tribal, selfish or political party sentiments, using clever rhetoric and melodrama to disguise more sinister intentions. Some have described Ribadu's attitude as bordering on arrogance. Well I say, why would you not be arrogant when you are doing something good? Why wont you be proud when you are giving the corrupt and unsavoury a run for their stolen money? It is always pleasurable to see good triumph over evil. So please allow Ribadu all the arrogance he needs to keep exposing and derailing the crooked and disingenuous amongst us. This is one human cleansing project I am wholly in support of, a separation of the regressives from the progressives, the haters from the lovers, the prophets of doom from the eternal optimists.
As for those who seem to have a personal vendetta with Obasanjo, they are a source of amusement to everyone else. If you blame the man for all that's wrong with Nigeria, please have the maturity to give him credit for the things that have gone right with Nigeria. Give him credit for the exceptional individuals he has introduced into the Nigerian system; let me bore you with their names again - Charles Soludo, Dora Akunyili, El Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nuhu Ribadu, Oby Ezekwesi, and yes Umaru Musa Yar Adua. Even though the latter has become Nigeria's president on the back of a flawed election process, you can't deny the excellent virtues he is displaying so far. And it was the same Obasanjo who handpicked him to be the PDP flag bearer. Now ask yourself why would anyone who is demonic, corrupt, hateful, as Obasanjo has been described by his detractors, surround himself with such eminent and pious people like the aforementioned? When you look at the pedigree of these people you can't help but envisage a better Nigeria. The upcoming generation have a selection of fine Nigerians to try and emulate.
The EFCC must be allowed to continue its rigourous stance on corruption. It requires our patience and understanding that not every crook can be caught nor all brought to book at the same time. Only God can achieve such feat. At least now the benchmark of intolerance to corruption has been raised very high. Even though I do not believe that Ribadu was being directly used for political purposes, I do support the argument that the EFCC should operate independently of the presidential office. Its net should be cast wide over all of Nigeria, investigating all know acts of corruption in high and low places. Its mode of operation should be reviewed, and if necessary adjusted with a view to removing loopholes thereby strengthening its capacity to be even more effective. That way its actions will not be subjected to accusations of unfairness and selectivity. The government and judiciary should work out more appropriate punishment for those found guilty. I regret that former IG, Tafa Balogun wasn't given a much stiffer sentence. Perhaps they felt just having him in handcuffs was embarrassment enough. Nevertheless we must mete out far more substantial sentences henceforth to serve as stern warning to others and show that we mean business. Gradually the thieves amongst us will get the message, "leave Nigerian politics to those who really want to build".
Nigeria is changing for the better and the guilty are afraid.
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Posted by Robot| 18.07.2007 07:54