Corruption as the roots of Nigeria’s dysfunction

President Tinubu
By Sadiq Muhammed

Nigeria is in a dire state, with corruption thriving more than ever. From the private to the public sector, nothing is functioning as it should. In the public sphere, from politicians to civil servants, everything seems amiss. Our politicians are either too confused or too incompetent to distinguish between governance and politicking. After elections, the focus should shift to delivering on campaign promises, but due to the lack of clear manifestos during campaigns, there are no outlined problems, solutions, or timelines for accountability.
Civil servants lack clear rules of engagement, with different regulations for different organizations under the same government. In the private sector, businesses exploit citizens with unchecked price hikes, while civil servants assist politicians in perfecting the theft of public funds. Banks impose arbitrary charges on citizens, deviating from their core responsibility of lending, and instead focusing on commissions. The telecommunications sector also takes advantage, with data and call charges set at will. The education sector has collapsed, with lecturers demanding bribes, in money or sex, for passing grades.
Corruption is the only thing that works efficiently in Nigeria. Governors and other elected or appointed officials turn public offices into personal properties, stealing with impunity and flaunting it shamelessly. How can a governor use public funds to pay for his children’s education until they graduate? This audacity to steal, shielded by immunity, prevents accountability for their actions. This system allowed over a trillion naira to be inserted into the budget seamlessly and a sitting president to shamelessly award contracts to a company where his son is a shareholder and director.
Where is our morality? Everyone acts as they please, as if we live in a jungle with no rules, where might makes right. At this rate, a complete systemic breakdown is a real possibility. We hope to avoid such a catastrophe, but all indications point in that direction. This is a result of leadership failure at all levels. I cry for my country and hope there is a future for our unborn generations.

Muhammed can be reached on [email protected], 08056859039