According to the oxford advanced learners dictionary, corruption is the act of dishonesty or illegal behavior. It further reveals that it’s the act or effect of making something or somebody change from moral to immoral standard of behavior. Fantastic in other words can be seen as extreme, extraordinary, etc. fantastically corrupt in a wider perspective can be seen as extremely dishonest, extremely immoral behavior or extraordinarily posse’s illegal behavior.
Nigeria being a country in the western Africa continent with a population of about 170m people dominated by blacks gained their independent in 1960 from the colonial master(British) has pass through series of leadership tussle ranging from regional government to military rule characterized by series of coup de ta to the present fragile democratic dispensation with series of treat ranging from sedition from the eastern part, terrorism from the northern part, and destruction of oil facility from the southern part have over the years witness the issue of moral misconduct among public officers ranging from conversion of public fund for personal use, embezzlement, kick-backs, etc which have lead to the establishment of public agencies like the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practice and other Offences related Commission (ICPC), etc to combat the series of financial theft/misappropriation across ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and these agencies have over the years said to have recovered substantial amount of monies from from past leaders as well public office holders ranging from director of public agencies, ministers and co.
Corruption which has been a usual topic in the Nigerian dailies have become the topical issue in the present administration given the wide range of alleged financial misappropriation in the past Dr Goodluck Jonathan lead administration of which the present administration have devoted a commensurate effort in combating the alleged misappropriation. It will be recalled that earlier this month, the media reported that the British Prime Minister described Nigerians (170m people) as fantastically corrupt. A statement He the PM never countered. Let’s assume that the total number of political office holders in Nigeria is approximately 10m. So how has 10m people turn the entire Nigerian populations of 170m to be fantastically corrupt? How has the financial embezzlement of public officers entrusted with the management of public fund translated to the fantastic corruption of my fellow countrymen and women in the markets, on the streets, at their private businesses, etc looking for their daily bread. Mr PM this is fallacy of hasty generalization.
It is widely spread on the media that our number one citizen in person of president Mohammed Buhari (GCFR) openly acknowledged that we Nigerians are fantastically corrupt and urged them to assist in the repatriation of stolen funds. What this implies is that He himself and His household, His entire cabinet, our able armed forces my fellow countrymen and women, individuals in their private businesses and the entire Nigerian population of about 170m great people are fantastically corrupt.
My president it is evident that we have a number of corrupt people among us but that does not in any way translate to 170m Nigerian people being fantastically corrupt. A country’s president acknowledged the fact that corruption is a global problem and that is what I (we) Nigerian(s) expected of you. You have been instrumental in spearheading the fight against corruption and Nigerians are solidly behind you but the fact that you cannot defend the interest of my fellow countrymen and women on the streets of Nigeria and desporal on issues like this amount to character assassination by the British PM and seconded by you.
It would have been a nice thing for you to remind the PM that the foundation, the structure and framework on which Nigeria is existing as a nation is been laid by the (the British). A close analysis of our public finance structure during the colonial era will reveal that the budgets then were largely attributed to warefarism rather than developmental. At present, most resources embezzled from Africa tend to be at safe heaven when they get to the west. It will also interest them that embezzled fund by the fantastically corrupt Nigerians becomes HOLY fund for investment and purchase of assets the moment they arrive at the west. That they the westerners provide an avenue for the safe movement of those funds by the fantastically corrupt Nigerians.
My Grand Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, corruption is a moral thin and as such bad for any institution that bends towards growth. We are a nation found on ideals and in defending Nigeria, we stand together to actualize those ideals this nation was found on. Let us all fight the foundation of corruption for in bringing down a palm tree; you must start from the base. Let’s start the fight against corruption from the base and that’s the moral aspect of our lives by being morally responsible. My fellow Nigerians let us all say no to corruption for we are not fantastically corrupt. Yourcomrade