In his media chat, GEJ was very emphatic on his unmistakable distinction between stealing and corruption. To him, both refer to different things. So, a well-known "thief" like Femi Fani-Kayode is not a "corrupt" man. He is only a thief, and that's it.

Unfortunately, GEJ made no attempt to give a clear definition of corruption according to him. This naturally creates a debate between his supporters and his opponents. Here, I would like nairalanders to offer what they consider "corruption" to be. When the international community state that Nigeria is corrupt, what exactly are they saying? The ICPC are supposed to fight "corruption". So, what exactly is that corruption they are fighting?

The words of GEJ are very important for the future of this country. They reveal that whenever he promises to fight corruption, he is NOT promising to fight stealing of public funds by public office holders.

shiningshina:
In his media chat, GEJ was very emphatic on his unmistakable distinction between stealing and corruption. To him, both refer to different things. So, a well-known "thief" like Femi Fani-Kayode is not a "corrupt" man. He is only a thief, and that's it.

Unfortunately, GEJ made no attempt to give a clear definition of corruption according to him. This naturally creates a debate between his supporters and his opponents. Here, I would like nairalanders to offer what they consider "corruption" to be. When the international community state that Nigeria is corrupt, what exactly are they saying? The ICPC are supposed to fight "corruption". So, what exactly is that corruption they are fighting?

The words of GEJ are very important for the future of this country. They reveal that whenever he promises to fight corruption, he is NOT promising to fight stealing of public funds by public office holders.

You want to make a joke that can only be funny to people who are as uneducated as you are.

steal
stēl
take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=stealing+definition

cor·rup·tion
kəˈrəpSH(ə)n
dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=corruption+definition



we have ICPC and EFCC. EFCC deals with stealing (financial crimes), ICPC deals with corruption (misuse and misconduct of authority).

example: Governor uses his power to give his allies contracts = corruption
Governor awards contracts but takes the money award to the contractor = stealing


with stealing can be corruption, not all cases of stealing are corruption and not all cases of corruption are stealing. Example.

Stealing (without corruption): and armed robber robs a bank. As an armed robber, this is what he is 'supposed to do' given his status as an armed robber.

Corruption (without stealing): appointing your daughter as the minister of commerce without following checks and balances.

Nigerians have been calling stealing corruption the same way they've been calling pen's Bic's and petroleum Vaseline.

Ikengawo:


You want to make a joke that can only be funny to people who are as uneducated as you are.

steal
stēl
take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=stealing+definition

cor·rup·tion
kəˈrəpSH(ə)n
dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=corruption+definition

we have ICPC and EFCC. EFCC deals with stealing (financial crimes), ICPC deals with corruption (misuse and misconduct of authority).

Good one, ikengawo! But, then, do you think stealing public funds by public office holders is not "dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power"? Or, is it only "mere stealing"?

Stealing is corruption, not matter how good you pro-Gej people want to paint it.

when you don't say the truth what happens to public fund, you are corrupt. when you sell PHCN without giving us our share, you are corrupt!

braine:
Stealing is corruption, not matter how good you pro-Gej people want to paint it.

Block head resistant to education

shiningshina:


Good one, ikengawo! But, then, do you think stealing public funds by public office holders is not "dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power"? Or, is it only "mere stealing"?

THIS is the argument educated members of the opposition and PDP should be making. Not trying to make jokes about a language they don't understand.

The intelligent thing to say, as you've pointed out, is that a public official using their authority to take public funds is both stealing and corruption. I don't like that GEJ said that embezzlement is 'ordinary stealing' but the emotionalism of the opposition has lost a chance to make an intelligent argument against the president by turning it into another anti-gej gimmick the way they have with

shepopnomaus
clueless
drunkard
fisherman
daft


and other words that they've screamed the meaning out of.

This was what GEJ had earlier said:

“Over 70 percent of what are called corruption,
even by EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission) and other anti-corruption agencies
is not corruption, but common stealing.
Corruption is perception, not reality,” the
President said during his 7th Presidential Media
Chat on Sunday.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/160156-corruption-charges-ministers-politically-motivated-says-jonathan.html#sthash.aGWFtVXb.dpbs

APPARENTLY, GEJ thinks that the stealing of public funds by public office holders is NOT corruption.

CORRUPTION IS THE DISRUPTION OF OPTION THAT ARE CORRECT. HOPE DIS HELPS

I'll define corruption (as we know in Nigeria)it as any crime that involves money,basically.
Stealing,armed robbery,pen robbery,bribery,godfatherism,contract inflation,rigging of elections are all directly or indirectly support my definition and are thus all corrupt practices

Stealing of public funds by publicofficials is corruption, no matter how you sugarcoat it

ozoigbondu:


Block head resistant to education

Well, your opinion is irrelevant to me.

In as much as I am not a linguistics graduate and don't understand the disparities between stealing and corruption (prior to last night) I am very
confident none of you posters disputing the definitions are not in the same intellectual hemisphere with a former Chief Justice of Nigeria of which Mr. President explicitly explained he quoted on prevailing issues.
So put a pipe on it.
Your mischief making antics are known to us.