Nigerians cannot continue to pay lip service to the situation. Only a drastic, purposeful, in fact, a daring confrontation on corruption and every form of financial reckless and impunity in the system will bring about our desired change
Aside from the trending raging scandal involving ex-National
Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who allegedly diverted $2.1billion
approved for arms purchase, the Federal Government recently
alleged that 55 former government functionaries and top businessmen stole N1.34tn
from public treasury in eight years.
“Out of the stolen funds, 15 former governors
allegedly stole N146.84bn; four former ministers allegedly stole N7.05bn; five
former legislators allegedly stole
(more gist and pix after the cut)
N8.35bn; 12 former public servants, both at
federal and state levels, allegedly stole over N14.18bn; eight people in the
banking industry allegedly stole N524bn; while 11 businessmen allegedly stole
N653bn.
In another recent incident, a
prosecuting witness testifying against the former Director General of NIMASA,
Patrick Akpobolokemi told the court how N546 million was paid into the account
of a fashion designer named Chukwuemeka Benjamin for services that are not
maritime related. Akpobolokemi and five others are standing trial before
Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court Lagos for N2.3billion fraud.
These are just a tip of the iceberg of shocking accounts of the
financial recklessness and impunity of those we have elected or appointed to manage our commonwealth.
Let us face
facts. This is not the time for long grammar and flowery arguments. We are in
deep shit: way down inside a deep, dark slimy smelly ditch and the only way out
of a deep ditch is to find a way to climb out of it.
This mindless
looting of our commonwealth and flagrant corruption is a brazen undisguised
affront on the sensibilities of the downtrodden masses. We will no longer sit
back and watch as spectators while these “mindless Nigerians” use our national
resources to tantalize, intimidate and entertain? us.
The situation has
become so pervasive and endemic that the possibility for a way out for the poor
masses seems more and more impossible by the day, but until we begin to see
these looters and corrupt Nigerian as enemies of Nigeria, we cannot win this
battle.
It does not
matter how deep down the pit we are, we will surely win this battle against the
enemies of Nigeria.
Nigerians cannot
continue to pay lip service to the situation. Only a drastic, purposeful, in
fact, a daring confrontation on corruption and every form of financial reckless
and impunity in the system will bring about our desired change.
The journey out
of a deep, dark slimy and smelly ditch will not be easy, and the results will
not be immediate but structures that will bring about our desired change must
be seen to be in place.
One step at a
time, every hand on deck, giving maximum support for ongoing government efforts
to rid our society of corruption, and we will soon be out of the ditch.
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