Tuesday, August 6, 2013

"THE FIVE MAJOR REASONS WHY CORRUPTION THRIVES IN NIGERIA"

(i). Official corruption is the most profitable illegal enterprise in Nigeria today. This corruption has produced many dollar-rated Nigerian billionaires on the yearly front covers of the many editions of the Forbes magazine. This corruption has produced so many Naira-rated billionaires in Nigeria today. This corruption has produced hundreds of Nigerian who are now private jet owners. This corruption has allowed its direct beneficiaries to become owners of mansions and real estates in Nigeria, Dubai, South Africa, London and United States. This corruption has allowed its perpetrators to own fat foreign bank accounts in the offshore havens around the world and in the countries that practice banking secrecy. 

(ii) Corruption in Nigeria is more profitable that any type of employment either in the private sector or in the public sector of the Nigerian economy. This corruption is more profitable than owing or running a business or investing one's money into the Nigerian stock market. Corruption in Nigeria has produced more billionaires and multi-millionaires than the hard working Nigerians that work for monthly salaries or running their own businesses and personal investments for profit making.

(iii). The perpetrators of corruption in Nigeria are never punished by the supreme law of Nigeria. Many former presidents, retired military top brass, state governors, ministers, top civil servants and their cronies who benefited directly from corruption are never prosecuted for this corruption in our courts of law. The few that were selected for prosecution were either given light sentences, suspended sentences or discharged and acquitted of corruption. 

(iv). Corruption is officially and nationally recognized, honored and celebrated in Nigeria as a nation and by the government of Nigeria, our religious bodies (Churches and Mosques), traditional institutions and lastly by the ordinary Nigerians that do not directly benefit from this corruption enterprise. The government of Nigeria celebrates the beneficiaries from this official corruption with national awards, national assignments and political appointments or positions. The Churches and Mosques embrace these corrupt Nigerians with their opened arms into their religious circles by collecting any donated money and gifts given to them by these corrupt Nigerians that are directly coming from the proceeds of their corruption. The ordinary Nigerians hero-worship and celebrate these corrupt Nigerians by begging for the crumps that fall down from the dinning tables of these highly corrupt Nigerians. 

(v). The provision of the clause for constitutional immunity from prosecution in public office that is in the Nigerian 1999 constitution has helped Nigeria's elected presidents and governors to freely and legally get away with corruption in their public life. These elected officials practice corruption in power as a standard way of life and the law of Nigeria is totally helpless and powerless in addressing this issue of corruption in Nigeria today.

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