Corruption and Insecurity: Nigeria’s Twin Challenges to National Development
By MADU PRECIOUS CHINAECHEREM
of public funds, that is emblematic, symbolic, typical of Nigeria government, which has
processed apace with equally mindless destruction of lives and property, with palpable fear, and
disenchantment pervading the land. The increasing sectarian (biased) strife has turned parts of
the country into killing field, with obvious threats on democratic consolidation and national
stability. The festering sores of corruption and insecurity are inexorably related to the warped
values. The chronic nature of corruption and insecurity has been fueled and sustained by
perverted societal values. Nigeria faces an existential crisis and requires a reorientation of
values and complete paradigm shift to be able to come out of the woods. Corruption and
insecurity have become pandemic. The recent revelation emanating from the oil subsidy probe
and the pension scam illustrate vividly how tragic the situation has become. Elections, census
figures, revenue.figures have all been seriously compromised and flawed. Official statistics in
Nigeria a fraud. Corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria, it is so persuasive that it
permeant all aspects of our national life. It is found in all public institutions today, civil
service,electoral commission,universities,polytechnics,and college, the judiciary,police, military
and other security organizations, etc.are all bastions of corruption. Recently when the inspector
general of police sent all policemen packing out of the nation's highways, it was common to see
policeman extorting money publicly at gun point. What is armed robbery after all? Those who
are courageous to resist have had sordid stories to tell, that is, they survive. In the
judiciary,Justice has come to be a cash and carry commodity Given to the highest bidder. Lady
Justice is no longer blind, but open-eyed engaging in a lusting kindred fraternity with those who
grease her palms. Judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man. Nigeria is an
amazing paradox, characterized by poverty and abject want in the midst of immense natural and
human endowments, Nigeria is the 80th largest oil producer, and also,has the 6th largest
deposit of gas worldwide. The country's rich oil deposit has earned it more than 400 billion
dollars in revenue since the 1970s (international crisis Group report 2006). Regrettably though,
much of these have been privatized creating a horde of very few novue-riche while the rest of
the populace starve. More than 60% of Nigeria live below the poverty line of one dollar a day.
The propensity of Nigeria leaders to indulge in graft, it is not surprising that the nation is still
plagued by gross underdevelopment. Basic social services including Medicare,good roads,pipe
borne water, electricity,schools are notoriously inadequate. Loving standards have considerably
declined over the years, that the elderly look at the past saying their lives were better in the
1960s than today.
The problem in Nigeria has become compounded with the spate of insecurity currently ravaging
the land. In 2012 national budget dubbed fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job
creation,about one trillion naira was allocated to security, many times more than the provisionfor education, health and other social services (FGN,2012).Even with this monumental allocation
to the security sub sector, Nigeria's have not slept with their eyes closed as the country in
violence infested. These range from arson,domestic violence, kidnapping, murder,politically
motivated assassinations, to sectarian induced attacks and killings,and several other forms of
violence that inundate the land. The Northern part of Nigeria has been under siege by persistent
and precise deadly attacks led by a sectarian fundamentalist Group known as Boko haram. The
country is boiling and seems to be at war with it self ,Nigeria is volatile. Indeed, the recklessness
with which bombs are exploding daily, it fragile unity is threatened by Boko haram conflicts. The
ubiquity of those attacks means that the business of governance,of providing necessary
amenities to the people and improving their welfare cannot proceed unless the security
situation is addressed.
Moreover,Given the entrenched nature of these problems in Nigeria, it maybe pertinent to
consider the interface between extant cultural values, corruption and insecurity, or whether
corruption has become culturally embedded,domesticated or indigenized in Nigeria, which has
in turn raised the spectre of insecurity. But before this is done, let us seek conceptual clarity,
Broadly speaking,
"social values" refers to commonly held principles ideas or standards that are
good, values refers to desirable conditions or state of affairs that are worth pursuing. Values
mirror what a society considers important, significant that it devotes its energies to realize the
preferred state. What the people glorify, admire, applaud indicate to a significant extent what the
values of that society are in Nigeria today, the craze for materialism. I.e, to own several
duplexes, have a fleet of state of the art car's, stupendous bank account, expensive dresses and
jeweleries, travel to India to treat any manner of ailment even headaches,occupy political offices
are the predominant values, that why Nigerians do all sort of things to get rich, even kidnapping
their parents for ransom. The Nigerian society places so much premium on riches,wealth,no
matter how ill gotten. The number of chieftancy titles given to these men of wealth is an
eloquent testimony to our regrettable attachment to money. We worship, glorify and adore
money so much that anyone who is wealthy is seen as next to God. Even in the churches he is
respected, appeased, given the front seat. As the pastors try to outdo one, following the gospel
of prosperity, while also rushing to process private airplanes, limousines and brand new cars.
Values are people aspirations about the way things should be done, Nigerian want everything for
themselves, without really working for it. Nigerian values has been held hostage for vulgar
materialism. With the emergence of such a value orientation, a new national disease called The
sudden wealth syndrome has completely eroded our traditional values of hard work, dedication
to duty, humility, honesty, love patriotism, sense of community and brother hood. However, we
seek to demonstrate that a proper understanding of it's material basis, history, emergence,
causes and sustenance. How did corruption develop in Nigeria? What circumstances or event
flowered it ? How those it become indigenized of domesticated, that the nation is now seen as a
sign post of corruption? How does corruption breed insecurity?.
"Corruption.
" Is variously
defined.it is the misuse of public office for private gain.corruption is Broadly seen as fraudulent,dishonest, illegal behaviors particularly of those in authority positions. any official conduct that
is enacted or obtained at the price of a fee, payment in cash or kind,that is against the standard
rules,values and expectations of a society is considered as corruption. Corruption is value laden,
which includes immorality, morat debasement and depravity. Corruption is the pre version of
integrity or state of affairs through bribery, favour or moral depriving. It takes places in the
process interactions between two or more parties which changes the structure or process of
society or the behavior of functionary towards predetermined end. It involves bribery, treasury
looting, rule bending to favour, cronies, clans, friends, while harming fores and other perceived
enemies. From the array of definition, it is clear that corruption manifest in different forms, and could be found in the social, legal, economic,education and political realms, and also public and private spheres. Therefore, corruption is not necessary an isolated event or an individual problem, as it is an outcome of a country's political and legal aspects, economic and structural
policies, the role of institutions, human development, globalisation and it's specific cultural
configuration. Corruption is therefore viewed in our context as a cancerous ailment, a socio
political, economic, religious and moral disease that spreads to all the different levels of society.
There is the need to deconstruct corruption, understand it's origin, and scope if efforts towards
its control, or regulation could be successfully prosecuted. To avoid conceptual fuzziness, it is
best to approach the idea of "insecurity.
" From the point of unveiling what security entails.
Security involves many aspects and forms. But, we limit our interest to the protection of lives,
wellbeing of the people and other prosperity. Security connotes and denotes protection from
danger, or other bad situations (According to long man dictionary of contemporary English.)
security refers to the stability and continuity of livelihood, predictability of relationships, feeling
safe and belonging to a social group. Generally speaking the term security, just like peace,it is
seen largely as a condition or feeling safe from harm or danger, the danger, protection an
preservation of core values,and the absence of threats to acquire these values.security has now
evolved from its traditional military origin to include"non military dimension such as
environment, migration,ethno religious and nationalist identities, poverty and human
insecurity,and disease.
" Security therefore encompass all the necessary conditions that
guarantee peace, Justice and good health. Arising from this is the notion of insecurity which has
plagued the country and it's citizens.the feelings of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, poverty, injustice,
unemployment are all symptomatic of insecurity. Historically, protection of lives and property
was the raison d 'etre of the evolution of civil society, and the state in particular. How well this
role has been played by the state given the onslaught of rampaging corruption and erosion of
values shall be interrogated.Is there a way out?, current efforts at stamping out corruption in
Nigeria have been encouraging. Of particular mention is the economic and financial crimes
commission (EFCC) established by the EFCC act of 2002,as amended in the EFCC act of 2003
with broad powers to coordinate the various institution involved in the fight against money
laundering and enforcement of all laws dealing with economic and financial crimes and
terrorism. Other agencies involved in the fight against corruption include the independent
corrupt practices commission (ICPC),code of conduct bureau(CCB)etc. the EFCC has made
modest contributions, but the ubiquity of corruption, the modus operandi of EFCC , the political
economy of the Nigeria state, entail a paradigm shift, both in methodology and orientation. Theproblem which we consider germane is the seriousness or honesty of the nation's leaders to rid the society of corruption. Can the nation truly expect the petty bourgeois faction of the Nigerian governing class to carry out an altruistic war against corruption? Those who go the equity, as the lawyers would say,must go with clean hands.how clear are the hands of our leaders? Given the manner in which political contest has degenerated in Nigeria,and how leaders are (s)elected, it becomes difficult for the ruling class in Nigeria to support any genuine anti-corruption drive.
In conclusion, Today Nigeria are more corrupt than they were several years ago, or better still
corruption has been effectively democratized. While not disparaging the courageous efforts of
the Anti corruption personnel, we need to deconstruct the term corruption to see it as a social
problem, or a process in socio economic and political development that is more than a problem
of individual morality or market imperfections. Understanding the war on corruption in Nigeria
would require concentrated attention be given to power relations, morals, values, ethics and
material conditions that uphold them. The current levels of poverty need to be addressed with
massive enlightenment programme to check the menace. Corruption would be further
entrenched, deeply embedded if the nation continues on the same old road.
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