My Beauty Best Teacher

We present the concluding part of Rina Okonkwo's article on corruption see part 1 here:

The military coup of January 15, 1966 was a direct response to the corruption of the First Republic. The popular support for the coup showed that people rejected corruption. Despite the brutality of killings of First Republic politicians, there was widespread rejoicing in the country for the acts. The assassinations of the Minister of Finance Chief FS Okotie-Eboh, who was notorious for flaunting his ill-gotten wealth, Premier of the Western Region, Samuel Akintola, nicknamed “rigging” and Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, the Premier of the Northern Region, “whose wardrobe was the most elaborate in the world,” were applauded.13 The coup eliminated “the old brigade of politicians who were destitute of public spirit.” 14

The Ironsi government instituted a series of commissions of inquiry into affairs of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, Nigeria Airways, and the Nigeria Ports Authority. The report on the Ports Authority revealed that a number of ministers, including Okotie-Eboh, Ribadu, and R.Njoku had formed companies and used their influence to secure contracts.15 In Nigeria Airways, the minister, K. O. Mbadiwe had interfered with award of contracts to a company not registered in the register of companies. K.O. had gone against the board to send “Operation Fantastic,” the maiden flight of Nigeria Airways to New York. Friends and relations of the minister travelled free to New York. Many stayed on in the United States. Chief Dafe, the chairman of the board, was found guilty of hiring many unnecessary party workers in the airline. “Chief Dafe did not know the difference between Nigeria Airways and the party headquarters of the NCNC.” 16

Dr. Ikejiani, Chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, was found guilty of misallocation of funds and disregarding the Board and recognized procedures of the NRC. When Ikejiani became the Chairman, he was in debt. Ikejiani left the NRC with a fleet of cars and buildings. The building of the Railway medical centre, which was estimated cost L75, 000, was inflated to L440, 000. The inquiry thought Ikejiani had diverted railway funds to build his private hospital. The architect for the medical center designed a building for Ikejiani in Lagos free of charge. The panel recommended that Ikejiani never again hold public office. 17

The zeal to punish the wrong doers of the First Republic died with the Gowon coup of July 1966. The politicians in detention were freed. Corruption increased. “Youths knew no other life than corruption.” “One could steal if he shared with those in the right places.”18

The coup of 1975 was an attempt to end corruption. Murtala Mohammed began by declaring his assets and asking all government officials to follow his example. Murtala instituted a series of probes of past leaders. The Federal Assets Investigation Panel of 1975 found ten of the twelve state governors in the Gowon regime guilty of corruption.
One of the exonerated military governors, Rotimi, was later appointed to head a commission of inquiry in 2000. The guilty persons were dismissed with ignominy and forced to give up property in excess of earnings.

The Belgore Inquiry investigated the “Cement Armada.” The Gowon government had imported sixteen million metric tons of cement at a cost of N557 million. Millions of Naira was lost in demurrage charges, as the cement rotted in the seas outside of Lagos. The ports were too congested to enable ships off-load their cargoes. The inquiry noted that the Ministry of Defence needed only 2.9 million tons of cement at a cost of N52million. The orders were inflated for private profit at great cost to the government.19

State governments held similar commissions of inquiry. Corrupt officials were dismissed with immediate effect and asked to refund the money they had stolen. Murtala was assassinated after only two hundred days in office. The Obasanjo regime did not show the same zeal in its prosecution of wrongdoers.

The Second Republic, under President Shehu Shagari, saw a resurgence of corruption. Shagari was ineffective in stopping the looting of public funds by the democratically elected officials. On December 31st, 1983, General Buhari led a popular coup with the aim of halting corruption. Buhari arrested the state governors and commissioners and brought them before tribunals of inquiry. All accounts of politicians were frozen.

In less than two years, Babangida replaced the reformist Buhari regime. The next fourteen years saw no serious attempt to stop corruption. Leaders found guilty in tribunals under Mohammed and Buhari found their way back to public life and recovered seized property. Wole Soyinka observed that for Abacha to launch a war against corruption was a “huge joke.”

The Third Republic has instituted numerous commissions of inquiry. The Oputa panel and the Akanbi Commission have investigated corruption. Yet all the commissions of inquiry and reports have not stopped corruption. The Transparency Index rated Nigeria the number two corrupt country in the world in 2001.

An historical look at corruption in Nigeria demonstrates that rhetoric against corruption does not end corruption. All the inspiring words of our leaders and journalists have not changed anyone. We have heard the most eloquent appeals and strongest language castigating wrongdoers to no avail. Azikiwe and Shagari were two excellent writers who did not act to stop corruption of their party members and colleagues.

From our survey of corruption in Nigeria, it would appear that change in Nigeria must come from the grass roots and not from the leaders. The British realized, as far back as 1947, that an educated, enlightened citizenry was the key to stopping corruption. Government could not legislate an end to corruption. Punishment of wrongdoers, while necessary, was not sufficient to stop corruption.

In his comparison of corruption in Nigeria and Britain, Ronald Wraith pointed to the need for education in good character and the importance of diffusion of wealth, power, and education in the society. There was need to build a tradition of disinterested public service. In Britain, responsible government began with the emergence of people who entered government service after they had amassed substantial wealth. They joined government, not to increase their fortunes, but to contribute to the country. When the people of Nigeria reject corruption, they will demand and receive good behavior from their leaders.

In FP Nasir El-Rufai on the need for a fresh political dispensation in Nigeria

...we all need to use a fresh lens when looking at Nigeria. Backroom deals in which political elites negotiate the fate of Nigeria's 150 million people are a relic of the past -- or they should be. The North-South power rotation, or "zoning" arrangement, that pretends to offer stability to Nigeria's ethnically diverse population has morphed into a convenient justification for self-centered politicians.

More here
via Abuja City

Peter Cunliffe-Jones writing in the BBC:

...Both Indonesia and Nigeria, my guidebook told me, are the giants of their region, home to tens of millions of people. Both were formed as one nation by Europeans around 1900. Both were governed by the colonial system of "indirect rule". Both once made money from palm oil, and later discovered oil and gas.At independence, the standards of living in the two countries were comparable on most measures. And since independence, both have suffered three decades of military misrule and corruption.Their first coups were launched within months of each other - in September 1965 in Indonesia and in January 1966 in Nigeria - and their military regimes died within 12 months, in May 1998 and 1999.
It was not only my friend who made the comparisons. But, talking to the editor of an Indonesian magazine the day after I arrived, I was struck by a statistic he mentioned in passing. In Indonesia, he said, the life expectancy of a child at birth had risen from 45 to 70 years since independence.In 1960, Nigeria produced almost half the world's palm oil, now it covers just 7%In Nigeria, life expectancy remains stuck just above 45; today it is around 47.

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Jeremy Weate providing further context states:

...in the final analysis, the difference in models of corruption and commercial contracts boils down to a stronger civil society in the archipelago state. In which case, the lesson Nigeria can learn from Indonesia is the importance of building up a healthy civil society, which includes non-governmental organisations, the media and religious organisations. The work is still all ahead..

AginstBabangida "... is a project by CITIZENS FOR NIGERIA, aimed at initiating action to stop Ibrahim Babangida from ever ruling Nigeria again.
Some of the participants in the project, mostly former journalists, lawyers and the like, wish to remain anonymous. They fear possible reprisals from the vengenful Babangida and his cohorts on them or their families, as exploits of this web site is bound to take its toil on the cabal.
Our mission is to wage a civilized intellectual battle against dangers to true and virile democratic development in Nigeria, symbolized by Ibrahim Babangida.Our vision is to provide a fertile soil for the germination of productive democracy in Nigeria. We will achieve this by internationalizing issues that threaten democracy in Nigeria, and make stillborn the ambitions of selfish power usurpers.One of our most potent tools is our newsletter, IBBWatch, which is intended to raise awareness among everyone interested in Nigeria's political development. Subscribe to the newsletter..."

Nuhu Ribadu's testimony to the US Congress:

Next year, Nigeria will be half a century old. In 1960, the year I was born, my country attained Independence from Britain. The promise of independence was boundless and the famous Nigerian energy was all too evident. We were sure we would make it. Home to about 140 million of the West African region’s 220 million inhabitants, Nigeria’s demography alone elects it as a regional power.
Today, after one civil war, seven military regimes, and three botched attempts at building real democracy, there is one connecting factor in the failure of all attempts to govern Nigeria: corruption...[continue reading]

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• The latest joke-"Rebranding Nigeria" (my-beauty-best-teacher.blogspot.com)

Okey Ndibe writing in Sahara Reporters:

Nigeria (through Mr. Jonathan) has hardly earned the right to rebuke players who are so good they rank among the world’s best. Countries like Brazil and Argentina take their football seriously, and the state pours in resources and pursues other policies directed at the germination and nurturing of players. By contrast, Nigeria’s football administrators often have their sights set on the main chance – for themselves. Look at the line-up of players that Nigeria sent to South Africa. Can we point to a single one of those players and say, with confidence, that Nigeria’s sports administrators or sports policies fertilized his emergence or growth as a player? I doubt it. My point: each and every one of those players earned a jersey by dint of hard work and gritty determination...

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The Economist reports on the suprising emergent success of Nigeria's Nollywood and the goverment's ham-fisted attempts at 'guidance':

Today, filmmaking employs about a million people in Nigeria, split equally between production and distribution, making it the country's biggest employer after agriculture...The industry has sales of $200m-300m a year...So far, the industry has grown with little or no help from Nigeria's government.

But in typical bungling style the goverment now seeks to 'help' the industry:

the government worries that Nigeria's film industry reflects badly on the country. “When I travel abroad, people complain to me about the voodoo themes and the poor technical quality compared to Western movies,” says Emeka Mba, director-general of the NFVCB.

Joshua J. Omojuwa writing in African Liberty:

As Nigerians celebrate 50 years of nationhood today, the promise of independence- a nation of free people living at peace with itself and neighbours, undergirded by individual and economic well being is still a distant dream. The President and his Governors may cut mammoth cakes and pop champagne and toast to success, perhaps personal success. Yet, this artificial success is derived from plunder and supervised penury foisted on the poverty industry and fueled by years of bad governance.
Little wonder remnants of the disaggregated development plague us; dysfunctional educational system, bad energy policies, bad roads, offensive electricity supply, armed rebellions in resource-rich regions, religious and tribal wars, kidnappings and a habitation for corrupt political grand masters and scammers. Clearly we are a nation of perpetual anomalies. Yet, we are one of the richest oil-producing nations on earth able to dish out billions of Naira for the wasteful jamboree in the name of Independence...[continue reading]

Salisu Suleiman writes:

The crux of this piece is this: though the military claim to have relinquished power to democratically elected leaders in Nigeria, the fact is that they have remained firmly in control. They may not hold the horns of the political cow any longer, but they sure are milking it. In every key office in Nigeria today, you are likely to find a serving or ex military person. On the chairs and boards of major companies are former soldiers. On the thrones of powerful institutions are retired military officers.
It was said that the world domination that Japan failed to achieve militarily, it achieved by economic means. In the same way, the continued domination of Nigeria that the military could not sustain with their guns, they have succeeded in executing, sublimely, through the subtle pseudo-democracy they have installed in Nigeria. This has given them control of the key indices of political and economic power in the country.

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• Quick Hits (my-beauty-best-teacher.blogspot.com)

Via Coder at a lecture titled “Who Will Reform Politics in Nigeria” Charles Soludo:

...called for the pruning of Nigeria to six regions with Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja as special centres. He said 774 local governments, were merely conduits for profligacy and waste, as well as the adoption of a unicameral legislature that would reduce the number of law- makers from 459-150.

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Well said! We have previously discussed Nigeria's synthetic states and largely pirate governors. Its unlikely that Nigeria's political turkeys will vote for this kind of thanksgiving.

Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, extols entrepreneurship:

I believe in Nigeria. I believe there is always going to be Nigeria. My faith and belief in this country is unshakeable. We have to live together in peace and not in pieces. Why are we important in the world today? It is because of our population. Population and our oil. It is not because the world loves the name Nigeria. No. When was the last time you heard about Kuwait or Brunei? The importance of Nigeria is the market. The population is there. The money is there. It is just a matter of having good entrepreneurs who can push this thing forward…We are not a company that is owned by government. People are still doing business in troubled areas like Congo. In fact, Congo is one of the best countries to invest in. During the war in Liberia, people were still doing business. A friend of mine opened a flour mills six months ago in Cote D’Ivoire.

via African Loft

The BBC on Nigeria's influence across Africa,In Ghana:

There is no mistaking the ancient cultural and linguistic ties between the neighbours. However, the post-colonial relationship has been characterised by a kind of sibling rivalry. Nigeria is highly respected for leading effective peacekeeping in the region, and at the same time mocked for failing to ensure peace in Nigeria. While Ghana takes pride in leading the continental way in independence, democratisation, and more recently, in sporting achievements.

For Kenyans:

What changed it all for us in Kenya was Nollywood. Nigeria became real and we were exposed to Nigerians telling their stories and not us being told stories about Nigerians. All of a sudden there were VCDs and DVDs being sold of Nollywood blockbusters. I have an uncle who has a mammoth collection of Nigerian movies and a few other relatives who swear on the integrity of Nigerian pastors.

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Over at NigeriansTalk Benson Eluma on the reasons behind the religious crisis within northern Nigeria:

With its current culture of violent power relations, I don’t think that things would be different in the north (of Nigeria) if everybody was a Muslim or a Christian or an Animist, Pantheist or Atheist. People who want a fight will create one, no matter what they share in religion and ethnicity and language. If things continue this way in the north, very soon the certainties of identification, to paraphrase Farah, will be eroded and deleted. In these crises in northern Nigeria the variables of religion and ethnicity are interpenetrating and cancelling out one another. Soon, all that will be left as social residuum is the commitment to do battle on one side against all others.

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Femi Ajayi writes about the need to strengthen institutions and deemphasize personalities:

I believe one of the lessons from Nuhu Ribadu's saga would be for Nigeria and Nigerians to start building INSTITUTIONS rather than INDIVIDUALS or PERSONALITIES. Nigeria and Nigerians should start building institutions rather than personalities. Nigeria discouraged Obasanjo in making himself an Institution, so also it should be done in all segments of Nigeria public service. We should end the popularity showcase.
Nuhu Ribadu has done creditably well, nonetheless no one is indispensable. Nigerian mindset needs to be changed from hero worshipping to the substance of Nigerian Institutions. Nigerians are still suffering from the mishmash imposed on them by the Military to get excited and emotional on issues. Please don't blame Nigerians on this. Nigerians have been traumatized for over 30 years of Military rule that ruled with Decrees.

Chamberlain Peterside recommends a number measures to stimulate the fundamental base of Nigeria's economy.
"...It is quite realistic to recommend that Nigeria earmarks $5,0 billion of its foreign reserve for this purpose. Even after paying-off the foreign debt, Nigeria will still be left with substantial amount of money to sustain its current account status, support the currency market and tuck away some nest-egg for future generation. That is if subsequent governments don't steal it. Hypothetically, the $5,0 billion development fund could be deployed as follows:

1. Utilize $2,0 billion for infrastructure and power generation, to boost capacity to 10,000 – 20,000 megawatts over the next 5 years, electrify the rural areas and rehabilitate decaying road network and bridges nationwide.

2. Utilize $1,8 billion to create a Fannie Mae (US Federal National Mortgage Association) type housing fund to stimulate secondary mortgage market in Nigeria, guarantee home loans for low to middle income families and buy such mortgage notes from primary mortgage institutions (PMI).

3. Utilize $1,2 billion to fund agro and micro lending schemes, underwrite and guarantee loans to genuine micro businesses and mechanized farming organizations.

4. Utilize the $1,0 - $1,5 billion savings in debt service payment to target the lowest population segment and offer them social benefits that could translate into improved life-quality – basic education, primary health care, low cost housing subsidy, rural infrastructure etc..."