Nigeria Systemic Corruption: The genesis and the solution

Ex-Dictator: Obasanjo

Corruption is a dishonest or illegal behavior used to defraud by people without conscience who are in the position of authority or power.  Corruption is an evidence of an utterly broken system, exploited by those who are charged with the responsibility to care for and to protect the welfare of those served.  The magnitude of corruption in Nigeria is an indication of a totally broken system.  Nigerians are one of the people on earth that downplay the significance of historical facts. Those who disregard history, have no future. A large segment of Nigerians live for the moment and to them tomorrow can wait or tomorrow will take care of itself.  It is this same morbid attitude that dictate these dishonest behaviors by those entrusted to serve us. Nigerians have also forgotten or refuse to connect the dots about how we got to this stage in our nation's development.  In 1966, corruption was one of the legion of reasons proffered by those that aborted our young democracy. We will remember these brigands for what they destroyed; our young democracy and a nation full of hope. Instead, they created chaos, a broken nation, blatant systemic corruption and economic doldrums. They shall forever be condemned in the court of public opinions for many generations for the havoc they wreaked on our nation..
The greatest injustice was inflicted on Nigeria by those who took it upon themselves to truncate people's government. After series of coups and counter coups these self-styled crusaders have done nothing but entrenched in the system the very same problem they set out to eradicate on a scale unimaginable.

The years of dictatorships in Nigeria witnessed dark days when human rights and dignity were

Ex-Dictator: Babangida

valueless. They destroyed anything or anyone that stood in their paths.  These dictatorships were not accountable to anybody but themselves and their cronies.  There were never proper accounting at the treasury.  "Special accounts"were set up for successive dictators where certain percentages of the oil revenues were deposited for the dictators' personal use.
During the dictatorships, these so called anti-corruption crusaders in uniforms fattened on the Nigeria bleeding economy.  We know of Dictators and their cronies that have mansions and numerous foreign bank accounts with huge deposits. We know at the last days of Nigeria dictatorships the Head of State could order any amount of money on a slip of paper from the Central Bank of Nigeria for his personal use.
We know of an ex-dictator who was later enthroned as the 'president' with less than 30,000 Naira  rich but left office as one of the richest Africans.The genesis of corruption in Nigeria is one for the history book. Nigeria was ruled by series of dictatorships longer than the elected representative government. The dictatorships ingrained the culture of corruption as never seen in Nigeria.

Ex-Dictator: Buhari

The level of corruption bequeathed to the present elected government was like a oak tree, an obstacle on the path of progress. To better understand the genesis of corruption in Nigeria, you do not need to look far.  Just take a look at the past dictatorships and the faces of the ex dictators and their lifestyles, and you have your answers.

Ex-Dictator: Abacha

The truncation of Nigeria young democracy by these self-styled anti corruption crusaders was a serious blow and heinous crimes against our republic. They usurp peoples' power and seized on their moments to enrich themselves through their dishonest and illegal behaviors. Those years of bondage under the dictatorships laid the foundation for the Nigeria corrupt system. They entrenched the culture of corruption into the Nigeria value system.

Solution to Nigeria Corruption
Democracy !  Democracy !  Democracy !  Democracy ! 
The government of the people, by the people and for the people has proven to be the antecedent to modernization and economic and social emancipation in the free and civilized worlds.  A government that is accountable to the people through transparency and vibrancy. A government that embraces the freedom of expression and association as guaranteed by the constitution where all citizens have equal representation and equal rights under the law. A look at the world economic superpowers have proven that democratic systems work.  USSR collapsed and fell apart because communism was less effective and inferior to democracy.  China is making subtle baby steps towards political changes.  It is a matter of time before China becomes more democratic; otherwise their economic growth cannot and will not continue without an enabling democratic environment that promote human rights and the freedom of speech, and the freedom to innovate.

President Goodluck Jonathan

The present Nigeria democracy is a few years old after so many years of economic pulverization by these dictatorships. Our young democracy inherited an anemic economy and a systemic corruption that will be a working progress to tame.  In our young democracy as in all democracies, all elected officials will answer to the citizens at the ballot box.  Constructive journalism and debate will continue to educate the citizenry on the fundamental human rights and the rights to determine their future through active and collective participation in the electoral process. A vibrant democracy promotes the best in all humanity through genuine expressions and passions and innovation.  Dictatorships suffocate.

This administration is the best and the closest to a democracy we have ever had in Nigeria.  The citizens rights to freedom of speech and association have never been better in the history of Nigeria.

At every ballot box, Nigerians will determine their future. We the people and the defenders of our democracy will stand together to ensure that Nigeria will never, ever go back to the dark ages.