Corruption as defined by A.S. Horby (2010) simply means dishonest or illegal behaviour especially of people in authority: it’s also the act of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour.
According to the English Dictionary, corruption is “The act of corrupting or impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle, the state of being corrupted or debased, loss of purity of integrity, depravity, wickedness, impurity, bribery.
Having seen corruption as dishonesty, deceit, destruction, indiscipline, impurity and of course wickedness, it is seemingly crystal that the word corruption does not refer only to embezzlement of public funds but also looting of public properties, acquiring State or Federal or LGA owned properties by dubious means, hatred for one’s own constituencies therefore causing underdevelopment.
Hiding under official cover or mandate to deprive others their legitimate or privilege rights is corruption.
The word ‘corruption’ as frequently applied in the Nigerian context might have been blown outside its meaning, when it is only concentrated in the act of money laundry.
Little wonder the immediate past Nigerian President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, wants Nigerians to use the word in its rightful context, by calling a thief, thief by its name.
Corruption, going by the two definitions above is in virtually every sector of the economy, as all agencies, parastatals and ministries of most States have either unable to make their allocations from the federation accounts known as such compromised their standards.
A junior worker who could not move a file or mail from a particular office to the next without demanding for gratification is a corrupt beign, thus practicing corruption.
What about senior grade level officer who also diverted an employment chances to only their family members, he is a corrupt person. Denial of workers promotion and incentives as at when due is corruption on the part of the superior officers incharge.
Away from the civil service, the traditional institution is not left out in the discussion of corruption. For instance the immediate past administration in Rivers State under Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had not only amended the traditional/chieftaincy bill but had given recognition to many who perhaps were not due in a proper classification. Those affected never rejected the offer but accepted it and turned frontline political campaigners, what a high level corruption?
It is also prevalent in the chieftaincy institution that forceful claims, inordinate quest for what is not truly one’s right assume precedence.
While it is established above that deceit is a form of corruption, truth is identified as lacking in most sectors of human endeavour hence, corrupt practices is enthroned.
The religious sector is not also free of corruption since most persons who claim to have the call from God to serve, now device means to enrich self above the trust of their purported calling.
Corruption is multi-faceted in the society not excluding the kitchen especially where there is misunderstanding amongst couples.
While the fight against the said corruption is ongoing as the only agenda of the present federal government under president Muhammadu Buhari is a welcome development by Issues Abattoir, it is said that, “he that seeks equity must come with clean hands, having observed that a cat is always a cat nothing can change the cat from pursuing after a rat or whatever that have the semblance of a rat.
That is to say, many in the polity have already being corrupt and whatever is done to change them cannot be thorough, therefore what is needful is the careful attempt to eliminate all suspected loopholes encouraging the act at all levels of the economy.
Much was already said about corruption by several individuals, prolonged delayance in appointment of ministers cannot curb corruption. This is obvious because those to be appointed are Nigerians, they cannot afford to spare the rat whenever necessary because no one would want to bear only name without wealth.
That brings to the fore that most of the so called APC members who purportedly clamour for change were members of PDP at one time or the other and have made their wealth and fame.
Unarguably, should Mr. President in his quest to x-ray suspected corrupt individuals either in the previous administration led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan or not it is the opinion of Issues Abattoir that those who were in either PDP or New PDP and now APC should also be brought to book as they have no justifiable evidence to dump the PDP for APC and what they described as change.
Regrettably, how is it believable that a governor would serve a state for sixteen (16) years without a single property in that state, and that became a campaign topic while indications are that assorted houses hotels as well various identifiable investments litters the major cities of Nigeria and overseas, yet he is branded as a corrupt free man, incredible.
Issues Abattoir suggest that President Muhammadu Buhari, should be sincere in his quest, desire and pursuit to eliminate corruption by questioning some past governors around him, either served in the past eight years and beyond or not otherwise his drive against corruption would amount to mere nose or witch-hunt for specific personalities.
As war against corruption becomes the talk of the day, it is expected that all Nigerians irrespective of position should be abreast of the true meaning of the syndrome called corruption and resolve to let go greed in other to enhance the future where the resources of the country would be spread to all citizens rather than in the hands of irresponsible, greedy, selfish, unpatriotic and wicked few.
The religious, traditional, civil service sectors must rise up to the challenges of leading with example if Nigeria must be delivered from the cancerous killer decease for a new Nigeria.
Having identified corruption in virtually all sectors of the society, economy, and acknowledging that Nigerians are human’s, it behooves of the power that be to confront the substance of the act other than the actors or criminals, by this corruption could be checked, and attempted to be eliminated.
Conclusively, the Book of Esther chapters 1-8 clearly demonstrates how Haman used his official powers against the Jews and Mordecai in particular, an example of corruption.
Chapter 5 reveals Haman’s plot to hang Mordecai for being a Jew rather than honouring him, for saving King Ahasuerus, chapter 6 of the book further reveals how his corrupt tendencies were murdered.
In this regard, a vivid example of how corruption and its agents could be treated should be drawn in the scriptures as it is the answers to all questions. ###
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
