DOYIN OKUPE, LAI MOHAMMED, LABARAN MAKU, FEMI FANI-KAYODE, EDWIN CLARKE AND THE DOMINANCE OF CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA

Transparency International’s rating of corruption in nations of the world seem to rate Nigeria as one of the most corrupt nations in the world. How did we get to this point as a Nation? How did we allow the roots of corruption to take firm hold in the soil of our Nation? How and where did we miss it? How did we derail from the bright dream that the founding fathers saw? These questions continue ringing in my head whenever I ponder on how to make Nigeria better.
I once encountered one Alhaji Abdul-Hameed Danladi (I think he is the current Commissioner for Education in Niger State) when he came to deliver a lecture organized by an organization I use to be with in Minna, Niger State. He had a somewhat funny definition and/or description for ‘corruption’. In his words, “when you return from Mecca or Jerusalem and you insist that people call you Alhaji or J.P, you are corrupt. Those titles were valid in the holy lands because there, you were a pilgrim”. Funny definition don’t you think? Yet, it sounds true and at least, that is the way he sees corruption.
When this dispensation came on board under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, there also came an opportunity for various political nitwits to showcase the extent to which they have de-generated in reasoning and in transparency. There came a crop of political jingoists who are extremely good at calling a black kettle white. The kinds of politicians who would claim, “in the last one year, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product has increased by 20%”, when in actual fact, the average Nigerian believes urgent actions are needed to avert famine especially in 2012 flood-stricken areas.
It was when these faces began popping up in media circles and their misleading and lie-laden write-ups began to show up in media circles that I came to realize exactly why corruption can never really leave the Nigerian society. I realized the true definition of corruption as the inability to stay true to the responsibility vested on you to protect the interests of a certain group of people or a society. In these National figures mentioned above, disappointment of public trust is grossly evident.
Labaran Maku was appointed Minister of Information just so he could serve as the information channel between government and its people. Alas, what Maku feeds us are lies upon lies upon more lies. Lai Mohammed who was supposed to serve as the true voice of the masses in trying to truthfully bring down corruption through democratic comments from the opposition camp is the kind of man who would stop at nothing to discredit the ruling party and praise his opposition party, even if he has to say ‘good afternoon’ early in the morning.
Doyin Okupe just recently claimed President GEJ is the Nigerian Mandela. Wonderfully, his employer who could not stand such utter disregard for truth publicly commented the next day that there are no upright politicians in Nigeria; what an irony! The same Okupe just recently went on air to claim that the 200 billion being demanded by ASUU has been deposited in a CBN account and almost immediately, ASUU came out to rubbish that claim saying they had not been notified of any action to that effect. Doyin Okupe epitomizes the level of corruption in Nigeria, that level where public officers betray the trust the society has in them.
I am particularly disappointed in Femi Fani-Kayode. When he left the ruling People’s Democratic Party, I felt he was leaving due to the evident injustice in the party and he will henceforth be a true voice of change and good politicking. However, instead of becoming this, he became that political mouth-runner who became famous for untrue and very inflammatory statements. He has left the region of truth and crossed the line of bitterness and that has made it impossible to say the truth to the people who so much believed in him, one of which I am.
There is not National figure in whom I am more disappointed than Sir Edwin Clarke. Whenever there is a point raised against the person or government of President GEJ, the elder statesman is always quick to come to rescue issuing statements that are unbecoming of an elder that he is supposed to be. When elders begin to derail from their elderly roles because the penny-size gains they will have access to, it becomes evidently clear that the Nigerian system is failing because of people in their mould. A lot of Edwin Clarkes in Nigeria and we will be on the journey to Civil War II by now.
Mention Asari Dokubo and see the height of tribalistic tendencies, listen to the comments of Nyesom Wike and see the way he has been handling the crisis in the University system and you realize why Nigeria is in trouble. When we live in a Nation where the likes of these people are leaders, you sure can expect the level of corruption currently here. Leaders who know it is night time but decide to tell the followers that morning has just broken.
If Nigeria will get out of the league of corrupt nations, we must expunge the likes of these people from the runnings of our government, disallow them from running our National purse and show them that we are resolute in taking nothing short of the truth. In our quest to find better alternatives, I do hope we make better choices than the likes of the fair General from who is so desperate to become President and the members of his gang.
God bless Nigeria!