The face of corruption

Have you ever struggled with yourself about doing something you think is morally wrong?

Have you ever indulged in a little something that you think is wrong but you feel is the norm?

Do you think you can discern the difference between what is right morally and what is not?

Have you ever looked in the face of corruption and walked away unscathed?

Do not be in a hurry to answer the above questions with well-prepared justification and logic. Read until the end and let me know what the truth in your heart says.

Over the years, the concept of corruption has baffled me to no end. From my childhood, Nigeria has been known to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. I remember asking my dad what corruption meant and how Nigeria managed to rank higher than my favourite countries; the US and the UK in that regard. ‘It is when people do things that are not right by the law’, my dad said. Is it like when people steal, kill and fornicate? I inquired. I can still hear his howl of laughter but to silence me, he said yes and that I will have to grow up before I can fully understand the concept.

Almost two decades later, here I am and now understand a little as to why Nigeria still ranked high amongst the top countries as regards corruption. Is it only that we have never had the good fortune of electing a non-corrupt leadership? I don’t think so and my reasons are stated in this write-up.

Every time I ask my fellow citizens why Nigeria is not moving forward, they mostly point to the fact that the country is corrupt. According to the majority, our corrupt leaders have refused to let the economy amongst other things thrive. This got me thinking. Most people think that corruption is only in the levels of the federal and state governments but is it? Corruption in Nigeria as anywhere else in the world begins from the grass root level.

To substantiate this claim, I asked a few students if it is alright to question friends and colleagues during examinations or even scribble answers to questions on their body parts. Majority stated that whatever is scribbled is only a ‘reminder’ which is usually frowned upon so they cannot particularly say it is good. However, they see nothing wrong in questioning friends during examinations as it helps ‘trigger’ their memory. Some even said that they are sometimes encouraged in their schools to do so but in low tones so as not to distract the others.

I cannot seem to understand why these acts are labelled examination malpractice everywhere else in the world yet our teachers and lecturers encourage their students to engage in it. To me, it is like labelling some forms of evil as ‘good evil’. That in itself is corruption because it deviates from the ideal set for examinations.

People curse the police for their penchant for collecting bribes but who gives them these bribes? If bribe is not given willingly, it cannot be taken by force. So the act of dishonestly persuading someone to act in one's favour by a gift of money or other inducement is corruption. And in that scenario, corruption can be seen with the giver and receiver of bribe. People payoff high level members of staff of an organisation or ministry to win contracts in Nigeria and leave very capable and qualified people out in the cold. Doesn’t that reek of corruption?

Journalists cannot really exercise their right to freedom of expression even though the Freedom of Information Bill has been passed for years now for fear of victimisation. Editors and other media personnel still collect ‘brown envelopes’ from events that they cover. To me, that is just a fancy name for saying that they are being bribed to do jobs that they are already paid to do-which is to keep members of the public informed. And as for those journalists that write articles because of the gifts attached to it, they are breeching the ethics of the profession. Regardless of the fact that these articles might be of public interest, the angle of the story will be tainted.

Going down memory lane, I remember an election period where candidates of the election went into poverty ridden areas in Lagos, Nigeria to campaign. According to my sources, in the course of the campaign, the candidate’s aides started sharing a few cups of rice and some money to people in that area. Typical of poor Nigerians, they all scrambled for what they could get and pledged their votes to the candidate responsible for this ‘good deed’. Someone might argue that they did not have a choice, but I refuse to believe that we do not have the pride to refuse their ‘gifts’ or at least the will to insist that candidates campaign the right way. In this case, is giving your vote for a few cups of rice and money that will last only for a few days the best course of action? It is just like exchanging your birth right for a plate of porridge. Lucky for us, these bad choices can only last for eight years but it is enough to do enough damage to the economy and the future of our children.

We all might have heard about custom officers who sample people’s goods and keep a chunk of it for themselves in total disregard for the people who sell these items as a source of livelihood. Immigration officers who are supposed to be the face of the country beg foreigners at the airport for bribes and gifts to facilitate their entry process. When their requests are not satisfied, they go out of their way to stress these people at the airport thereby giving Nigeria a reputation as an unfriendly country to tourists. 

I could go on and on across the different sectors in the country but I would stop here. Just the way I have been brought up to think, I would pass the same message to my dear readers. Remove the log in your eyes first before trying to help someone with the speck in his eyes. How many times have inappropriate office behaviour been reported in big organisations? How many times have accountants reported their bosses to the relevant authorities for fraud and misconduct? If you have to think about your answer to these questions, then you might be looking right in the face of corruption and willingly participating in it.

Therefore, when you point a finger at the government, just realise that you might be playing a huge role in corruption also either by omission or commission. This is because corruption is not a government or a sector, it is a deviation from a model or principle put in place by law. Everybody has a role to play in curbing corruption and a morality check is needed to guide people aright.

Now can you honestly answer the afore-asked questions honestly? Please feel free to comment on what you consider as corruption and ways we can help make our country better.

All the best

Sharon