In the jaws of corruption
What is more disturbing to this writer, however, is the insincerity of fighting corruption in Nigeria. It was recently in the news that a Court Judge in Yobe State sentenced a handset thief to 10 years in jail. This is one of the examples of Nigeria’s insincerity of fighting corruption. While high profile white-collar criminals […]
What is more disturbing to this writer, however, is the insincerity of fighting corruption in Nigeria. It was recently in the news that a Court Judge in Yobe State sentenced a handset thief to 10 years in jail. This is one of the examples of Nigeria’s insincerity of fighting corruption. While high profile white-collar criminals and corrupt politicians who should have gone to the gallows continue to walk free in the country, our Judges are giving harsher punishment to petty thieves that are the by-products of a decadent society. Individuals who have stolen billions are scoffing at the law while ordinary criminals are either hanged or sentenced to severe prison terms. Are we really serious? Are we not making the world laugh at us?
The razzmatazz with which the former Obasanjo administration set out to fight corruption had gone up in the smoke of insincerity. In fact, can any nation fight corruption when recovered proceeds of corruption are re-looted? Do Nigerians have the right to know what was done with the millions of dollars recovered from the Abachas by the Obasanjo administration? With 700 million dollars returned to Nigeria by the Swiss government, Nigerians have not seen any evidence of where this illeged loot of the Abachas were used to provide projects or social services. By any standard, 700 million dollars are significant enough to improve education, health, roads and other areas of social services. These figures, sadly, remain on paper. So, where did the money go? Recovery of looted funds will mean nothing when there is no accountability in the management of such funds. While the former Obasanjo administration deserves the “credit” for recovering the looted funds from the Abachas, one wonders why it didn’t demonstrate the same zeal from recovering billions and trillions stolen under the nose of his own government. Did corruption end with Gen. Abacha’s death?
Nigerians are becoming more forgiving of the late General Abacha because, despite the corruption attributed to him, he was able to successfully manage the proceeds of petroleum subsidy withdrawal through the Petroleum Trust Fund, credibly led by General Muhammadu Buhari. Apart from Gen. Abacha’s government, which other administrations in Nigeria can show proof of what they did with the funds?
Despite the corruption attributed to him, General Abacha successfully built the Gwarimpa Housing Estate, the largest single project in Sub-Sahara Africa and the National Hospital (formerly called the Family support Hospital) until it was maliciously re-named to spite Abacha’s memory or obliterate his positive records of achievements.
Under Obasanjo, 800 million dollars was officially spent to rebuild Nigeria’s refineries. Yet, since he left office, the refineries have not been in normal working order. In fact, despite the expenditure of such huge funds, Nigeria has not stopped the importation of refined petroleum products. The late General Abacha had refused to slave Nigerians by accepting foreign loans.
In 2003, Nigeria got an 18 billion dollars relief from the Paris and London Clubs of creditor nations. Our joy was, however, shortlived. Our celebration turned to anger and despair. There was nothing to show for the debt relief. The former Obasanjo administration got the debt relief after arguing successfully that no country could develop when it was committing 50 percent of annual national budget to debt servicing.
Fair enough, that was a sound argument and the creditor nations granted us the debt relief. As if he knew the character of our leaders, former US President Bill Clinton, during an official visit to Nigeria in 2000, two years before the debt relief, told a joint session of the National Assembly that his country would support a debt relief to Nigeria “provided the benefits of debts relief would go to the ordinary Nigerians.”
With nothing to show for the debt relief, wasn’t Mr. Clinton eventually vindicated? No government that could not account for how it managed subsidy funds and debt relief had any moral basis to concentrate more energy and resources on fighting corruption only in one direction. General Abacha was not an angel, but within the five years he was destined to rule, he achieved more positive results than his worst enemies would have the courage to admit. Good performance cannot be erased even by the most sophisticated evil propaganda. Instead of crucifying Gen. Abacha, his enemies should defend their own record of transparency and tell us why corruption overwhelmed them to a point nobody could be held accountable.
Ochenelo writes from No 68, Cairo Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja. [email protected]