The Fleecing of Nigeria

The Fleecing of Nigeria: Holding Obasanjo to his word

”Corruption, the greatest single bane of our society today, will be tackled head-on at all levels. Corruption is incipient in all human societies and in most activities. But it must not be condoned. This is why laws are made and enforced to check corruption, so that society would survive and develop in an orderly, reasonable and predictable way. No society can achieve anything near its full potential if it allows corruption to become the full-blown cancer it has become in Nigeria. One of the greatest tragedies of military rule in recent times is that corruption was allowed to grow unchallenged, and unchecked, even when it was glaring for everybody to see. The rules and regulations for doing official business were deliberately ignored, set aside or bypassed to facilitate corrupt practices. The beneficiaries of corruption in all forms will fight back with all the foul means at their disposal. We shall be firm with them. There will be no sacred cows. Nobody, no matter whom and where, will be allowed to get away with the breach of the law or the perpetration of corruption and evil.” ………………President Olusegun Obasanjo (Excerpt from his inauguration speech)

I got up rather early on Sunday morning, the 7th of Jan. 2001. It was actually something quite unusual for me to get up that early on Sundays (God, I hope my mother doesn’t see this article). But this Sunday was different. Why? I was to meet with an American family (staunch and influential republicans, if I might add). I had come to know them over the years, and had always enjoyed our exchanges as it related to politics in the U.S. and Africa, Nigeria in particular. I got up so early that Sunday morning that I even went to church! As I stepped into the church, the stares of fellow members of the congregation were so palpable that I was tempted to turn right back and “run for dear life”. But I stayed anyway and enjoyed every minute of the service (except the sermon as the pastor fixated his gaze on me permanently, all through the ordeal). There must be, without question, some sort of radar device that locks on to “lost souls” like myself, I guess.

The service lasted for about two hours and I then proceeded to my appointment with the republican family. We were to go to lunch at the home of another republican family with quite a few other republican guests and acquaintances, I presumed. I met them at their home (at about 2:30pm PST) and we then proceeded to the dinner date, purportedly scheduled for 4:30pm (you know oyinbo and their fixation with time). On the way, I remembered some conversations I had in the not too distant past with this particular family (at the height of the American election controversy) regarding the ramifications (if any at all) a republican presidency would have on Africa and Nigeria in particular. I had told them that in the last eight years (1992-2000) with William Jefferson Clinton as president of the U.S., there had been a rather unequivocal determination on the part of the United States to support (quite vigorously, if I might add) democratic movements in sub-saharan Africa. In addition to the end of apartheid, we had essentially witnessed, I reiterated to them, the “death” of military dictatorships in sub-saharan Africa, with the exception of the thug in Gambia of course.

They had seemed rather bewildered by the compelling nature of my argument and in their response to my assertion, they stated “well, you can be rest assured that a republican government will be just as supportive of Nigeria’s nascent democracy as a democratic one.” Mind you, I had made it quite clear to them that the opportunistic Nigerian military might view the advent of a republican administration (going by their history of indifference towards African affairs) as an opportunity to seize power, but that they would be mistaken this time around, as it would inevitably lead to a bloodbath that would eventually break-up the entity called Nigeria. Their response to this (seeing the seriousness of my countenance and going by their assessment of things to that point) was, “we know that possibility exists and this is why Dubya will be pretty clear on this issue if he is elected president.”

Still driving to our dinner appointment (my car followed theirs behind), I also remembered several conversations we had in the past about the pervasiveness of corruption in the Nigerian theatre of operation. We had agreed with the notion that corruption does exist in every society, but that while other societies not only had systems in place to counteract this phenomenon, but in fact implemented those systems, the Nigerian scenario had become one where corruption was in fact a way of life. This, without a doubt serves as a good lead into the next phase of this piece, since now we had arrived at our dinner destination.

I proceeded to park my car and walked into the home of the host family (in company of the republican family). The house of the host family was rather impressive (overlooking Lake Washington and Mount Rainier) and reminded me of homes in Victoria Island. I was very well introduced to everyone at the “get-together” and in my typical self-assured nature (after all I be Naija ke) I felt quite at home and mingled with everyone.

Then dinner came, and as we sat at the table (having prayed an thanked God for his grace and provisions), the political discourse had begun. One thing I must say, has become ever constant at occasions of this nature; the political discussions always somehow come around to include Nigeria since I am usually the sole (but of course opinionated) representative of over 150 million immensely blessed and talented, but directionless human beings. I have always cherished the opportunity though, as I have been rather quick to insist on my hosts, colleagues and acquaintances) focusing on the positive things about Nigeria (boy they are quite few and far between nowadays you know) rather than dwelling on the negatives.

Then a certain gentleman, whom I then gathered was a physician in the U.S. Navy started to speak about an e-mail he had received inviting him to invest a certain amount of money in a venture in Nigeria, and as if out of guilt (or shame as the case may have been), I launched a “pre-emptive strike” by yelling, “oh, 419!” I then shot further by saying, “yup, it’s an unfortunate phenomenon and practiced by a small minority of despicable individuals who do nothing but give Nigeria a bad name.” My republican family concurred and came further to my defense saying, “the funny thing about this is that those 419 experts would not be in business if they did not have ample patronage.” Phew! Wow, once again I had been rescued from the indignity of the pervasive and debilitating stereotype of my beloved country Nigeria, as a country of thieves, crooks, drug peddlers and barons, as well as swindlers. We are not all of the Babangida stock you know! A majority of us actually do work hard for our earnings. What was however very troubling (at least to me) was the realization that for every one good thing said about Nigeria, that evening and at every other function or engagement I have ever attended, ten bad things essentially centering on the seemingly corrupt nature of the Nigerian society and its people always seemed to win out.

How unfortunate! This is the saga of the nation entity presently called Nigeria, a nation of laws but where lawlessness is the norm. A nation of abundantly immense resources, both human and natural but where poverty, and despair reigns supreme. The case of Nigeria is like that of a wide receiver in American football that caught a pass from the quarterback, at his own 20 yard line, but then lost control of the pigskin (ball) and tried to regain control, but never did (however the ball still did not fall to the ground as he continued to juggle the ball). 78 yards later (at the 2 yard line of the opposing team), he is still yet to regain control of the ball and he knows that if he does not regain possession and the ball goes out of the end zone, then it would be a touch back to the opposing team, a great opportunity to score a touch down would undoubtedly have been wasted. It remains to be seen whether Nigeria would eventually “fumble the ball out of the end zone.”

Without the eradication of corruption (in all its ramifications), the much-needed influx of foreign capital would continue to be an illusion. As I have heard time and time again from business and professional colleagues, Nigeria, though immensely attractive and viable economically, is a risk of immense proportions… one most well meaning investors are in no hurry to undertake. The insidious nature of Nigeria's business climate portends the propagation of an insensate conundrum that discourages transparency, accountability, responsibility and fiscal discipline; and the president wonders why he still has a hard problem marketing Nigeria to credible foreign investors. Well, he needs to show them and us first!

We shall hold President Obasanjo to his inauguration pledge!

The writer is an Internet/E-Commerce and Communications Executive in Seattle, WA