(UN)ENDING CORRUPTION.

A chorus of one Igbo song says "nwanna mu na ya so achu nmuo si na mu yiri nmuo", and it translates as "my brother I pursue spirits with says I look like a spirit". I think this may explain the phenomenon that cripples the crusade against corruption in our country.

I believe it is logical that whoever sets out to pursue spirits would try as much as possible to ensure that he/she has no semblance with spirits. If not, it would be a ridicule that he/she is pursuing his/her kind. Whether or not his semblance with spirits is an accusation is an entire different issue.

We have seen the "rise and silence" of corruption allegations. It seems one day corruption allegations are levelled against someone, and tomorrow, allegation of corruption is also (in turn) levelled against the "lead accuser".

We all know how women pack food and meat home when they are in the group that prepared the food. After the party, they fill their bags with food and other items enough to cater for up to five guests. It is not necessarily that they do not have food in their house, most times they do. But it seems it's had to pass off keeping a (large) chunk for yourself if you have the opportunity of being in charge of the abundance.

This is how easy corruption is.

In the days of Diezani-Allison Madueke, Diezani was one of the most vocal women in the administration. She was known for her eloquence and intelligence. One day while watching her speak on Television, I saw her lose poise as she resounded how everyone cannot depend on the government for everything. And how the teeming jobless youths should find means of making a livelihood for themselves without depending on the government for employment or support.

Ironically, this is the same woman who after she left the corridors of power was alleged to have stolen money running into millions of dollars. Allegation or not, Diazani amassed fortune while in Office. Even the salary and allowances she received in Office can be described as a fortune. The wealth she amassed would be enough to cater for even her generations yet unborn. The source of the wealth being the government, whereas she is echoing that the less privileged citizens should not depend on the government.

This is the irony of corruption. The biggest benefactors of the system shush away the less opportuned ones and tell them that they cannot keep looking to the government for (all) benefits. Whereas the benefactors of the system pocket what could have been the benefits available for all. Or at best, they release some fraction of the benefits and they would be hailed for generosity. As though it is their personal fortune that they dole out,whereas it is the common wealth of the people.

One thing about corruption is that it saps the legitmacy of real hard work by repelling or misplacing rewards that ordinarily should accrue to hardwork. Those that strive to work hard and remain honest in their dealings have their spirits dampened by all they see around them. Corruption has become so systemic that it is almost hard to differeniate people who choose to be corrupt and people who enable corruption with or without intending to.

One unfortunate thing about Nigeria's corruption is that most of the monies misappropriated are withdrawn from the system. The monies are either locked up in one someone's garage or they are fittered away in offshore accounts.
How then would an economy grow when the money that should have been circulating in the system is removed from the system?

Unfortunately, of any one account discovered, many more remain undiscovered. These are monies that were diverted from the real purpose it was supposed to serve, and they are left idling away instead. While the need it was meant to serve remain lacking.

The learned people say that "he who comes to equity must come with clean hands".  I do not know how many clean hands there are in our society today. It's no wonder everyone desires equity but gets cold feet seeking it.