Beyond Transparency International’s rating

So what does the new rating mean for Nigeria ? One could guess from the flood of reactions that have so far trailed the release of the rating. The preponderance of emotions expressed by Nigerians of all political leaning has been that of shock and discomfort, not in terms of the validity of the report […]

So what does the new rating mean for Nigeria ? One could guess from the flood of reactions that have so far trailed the release of the rating. The preponderance of emotions expressed by Nigerians of all political leaning has been that of shock and discomfort, not in terms of the validity of the report but distress on account of the fact that the nation still has not been able to shake off the stigma of a very corrupt nation. What is evident from these emotions is that Nigerians are truly concerned about what the world thinks about their country. It also means that our people are fed up with the trend of being lumped among the rogue nations of the world.

This is rather comforting and, perhaps a harbinger that the nation is at the cusp of a moral rebirth. Back to the issue at hand, I won’t dissipate energy talking about the validity of the report. We have to accept that what TI has published reflects the happenings in our country. To argue otherwise would be self serving. After all, it does not make sense to applaud the report when it favours Nigeria only to cry wolf when it is seemingly negative.

Personally, there is nothing intrinsically negative about the 2009 report. Yes, we have slumped on the scale. Yes, the new rating may have broken the recent trend of steady progress on the TI index but does it mean that the fight against corruption has collapsed in Nigeria ? Absolutely not. The seeming retrogression between the 121st position recorded in the 2008 report and 130 in 2009 is merely a difference of 0.2 percent, which is rather negligible. That is not to suggest that it is a welcome development.

I would have preferred that the country maintains its steady climb up the ladder of the index. If for nothing else but for the feel good effect that we are actually making progress in eradicating corruption from our public and private lives. But truth is that we can never run away from reality. There must have been variables that are responsible for this slight slump. Like some officials of government have said, it is not impossible that recent revelations concerning the failure of corporate governance in the financial sector, was a major cause of the slump on the TI index. Perhaps, so.

But beyond that, I believe that this is not the occasion to begin to fabricate excuses for what might have been. Or to begin to fish for scapegoats where there are none. Rather, the import of the new rating is a reminder that the hydra headed monster called corruption is still rampaging and that current efforts at tackling the scourge must be sustained. Instead of being perplexed and demoralized I believe that this should be seen as an impetus to redouble current efforts at fighting corruption.  For a nation like Nigeria that has been hostage to decades of corruption, it will take several years of sustained and vigorous campaign by all Nigerians to change the tide. It is not a flight of fancy. Neither is it a battle for one person or an agency alone.

This is where I also differ from those who are pointing accusing fingers at the anti graft agencies, especially the EFCC and calling for the head of Mrs. Farida Waziri. Ironically, this is the same woman that has been lionized over the past few months for her proactive intervention in halting the decay in the banking sector and for successfully prosecuting the former deputy national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic  Party, PDP, Chief Bode George. Chief George is perhaps the highest ranking politician to be convicted for corruption in Nigeria in recent years. His case appeared dead and buried until Waziri came on stage, dusted up the files and charged him to court. The rest, as they say, is history. That, to me, is no imprimatur of an anti corruption czar that is not alive to her responsibilities.

The situation in the judiciary does not help matter either. Cases of corruption are stalled needlessly in court through one frivolous application or another. These antics are clearly beyond the control of the anti graft agencies. I believe that if Nigeria is going to make steady and sustained progress in the anti graft war, there has to be a resolve by our judges, as priests in the temple of justice, to become soldiers in this battle by ensuring speedy trial of all corruption cases. I do appreciate that it is not exactly a completely hopeless situation. There have been few sparks of brilliance and integrity in the bench that gives hope that the country is not doomed.

An example in the courage exhibited by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Lagos High Court not only in convicting Bode George but concluding the trial in record time. As far as I am concerned Justice Oyewole has become the poster jurist, an embodiment of all that is good about the Nigerian Judiciary. Now, the onus is on his colleagues to borrow a leaf from him so that together we can erase this virulent blight that continues to earn us odium in the comity of nations.

I addition, since what we are talking about is based on perception, it also means that we have not done enough in terms of current efforts at rebranding Nigeria. The global image of Nigeria is still that of a very corrupt nation and it will take more than law enforcement efforts to change this perception. The tools of marketing communication have to be deployed to improve the country’s brand equity.

Dagogo-Wilcox, Public Affairs Analyst lives in Port Harcourt