CORRUPTION IS NOT NIGERIA'S PROBLEM

The following is a guest post written by fellow blogger, No Limit.

I recently went to Nigeria on a mission. My mission was to pay close attention to my family members, friends and anyone I came in contact with. After my visit, I concluded, corruption is not Nigeria's problem. Selfishness, on the other hand, is our problem. The get all you can and sit on it attitude is in 99.9% of us. Loving one's self and wanting the best for one's life is not in itself a bad thing. Afterall, you can't give what you don't have thus, you have to love yourself to be able to show the same love to your neighbor. When that love turns to self obsession, things get complicated.

SELF SERVING

I met a man from northern Nigeria to whom I expressed my disdain for former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida. Unbeknown to me, this man was an acquaintance of Babangida's. During our conversation, he cautioned me against speaking badly about Babangida and eventually informed me that  he had been beneficiary to houses, cars and lucrative contracts during the regime.

The conversation left me upset, not because of the supposed benefits he gained but because he was thinking of his belly alone. Babangida singlehandedly caused the crippling of a whole nation. Yet, this man was willing to praise the former dictator simply because of what he could gain. Sadly, I think the likes of this man make up a majority in Nigeria.

LACK OF EMPATHY

Another example of how selfish we've become as individuals and a nation lies in what I was told by a friend about her boss's daughter's wedding. She told me that hundreds of millions of Naira were spent on the wedding  Frankly, that did not bother me as I believe people should be able to enjoy their hard-earned money. My attitude soon changed when she told me that this same boss had neglected to contribute to the medical fund of an employee suffering from cancer and in need of N12 million.

All I could think to myself was, "Is this what human life is worth to us?" Based on what I learned about my friend's boss, a contribution of 12 million, or at least half of that, would not leave a dent in his pocket.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Even worse, is that in Nigeria, people generally do not care how got their money. As long as that person spends it on them, the dubious source of the funds are irrelevant. That is why politicians, public figures and other officials can plunder with no shame. This leads me to what is the way forward for the country?

I asked a few friends and family members, and two individuals suggested that all politicians need to be killed. As tempting as that might seem for some, we all know this is not necessarily the way forward. Other participants in my informal poll argued that we need to change the mentality of the people and discourage the attitude that encourages the plundering of public goods by officials. Another suggestion was that Nigerians use their voting power to remove corrupt politicians by making sure each vote counts. A Gambian friend recommended that each state become autonomous. Although this option has both advantages and disadvantages, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. For instance, good governance in a successful state can become good practice for the others. I particularly support the suggestion that we reform government and reinstate leaders that will be bound by contractual terms. Politicians would have to work hard if they had actual contracts to live up to. Finally, a family member told me that we need to renew the people's mindset and encourage individuals to be patriotic citizens.  When we become better citizens collectively, then we will see a better Nigeria.

I'm not sure what the solution to Nigeria's 'selfish' problem is, but I remember the words of another of my close friends who said the mindset of the people needs to be changed before any obvious positive change can be appreciated.

Long live Nigeria…

Much thanks to No Limit for contributing to Nigerian Curiosity as an Honorary Guest Writer of May 2010. She is a highly respected blogger who writes primarily about her observances, and experiences.

If you would like to be a Guest Writer for Nigerian Curiosity, please use the 'Contact' button above to reach SolomonSydelle, the blog administrator. 


Please read other contributions from previous Nigerian Curiosity Guest Writers -
- Dr. Joseph Okpaku's Barack Obama & America: Who Needs Who More 
- Osize's 'Economics of Nollywood: Price'
- Aloofar's 'When Will Nigerians Have Enough?'
- Tosin's 'Fantasy Federal Executive Council Team'
- Temie's 'Sweetening Motherhood'