s Nigeria battles to shed a reputation for corruption, the recent statement, "All Nigerians are Corrupt Regardless of Level" mischievously attributed to Ms. Oprah Winfrey, though sad, is a case in point for soul searching in Nigeria. The bad publicity about some ex-governors currently being convicted for graft has further exacerbated the looting and corruption problems. Nigeria is again brought in the world's glaring spotlight, not for discoveries, not for attempting to solve Africa's problems, not for development but for perfecting real or apparent corruption.

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Can a nation be branded a haven for thieves without a reason? Will such a nation not have a legal recourse to fight and remove the appellation if she has no semblance of rogues within her citizens? It is my understanding that Ms Winfrey mentioned the Nigerian fraudsters as part of the global discussion on scams. The accusation by Ms. Winfrey, if false, is a slap in the face for all honest and law abiding Nigerians at home and in Diaspora but, if true, is an opportunity for Nigeria as a viable, law abiding nation to be contrite and embark on real soul searching. But when can a nation be referred to as a den of thieves and it sticks?

In America, for example, an average Nigerian is seen as a thief and Nigeria as being populated by thieves. Some news channels even stated that every Nigerian institution has a department that teaches corruption. The CNN documentary, how to rob a bank, shown umpteen times solidified the general believe of Americans about Nigerians. In fact, CNN gave Nigerians, Americans, and other nationalities a-step-by-step guide to robbing a bank without a gun in an attempt to depict all Nigerians in the US as bank robbers. It is said that only thieves know how to catch thieves, if you know what I mean. It is unfortunate that many Nigerians did not care to understand the context in which Ms. Winfrey spoke and hence helped indirectly to add to the stigma of Nigeria as a den of thieves and corruption.

The issue is not that Ms. Winfrey made the statement but why on earth will she make a disparagingly blanket statement Nigeria and indirectly black people? There are over 140 million Nigerians, how many of these citizens duped Ms. Winfrey to justify her statement? I am going to go out of my way to saying there is no smoke without fire. What must have prompted Ms. Winfrey to make such an indefatigable statement? Did Oprah just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and decided to just pick any country to accuse of being den of thieves? Why did the name Nigeria pop up in her head? Was Ms. Winfrey temporarily insane when she made the statement? Could she have experienced negative activities of some Nigerian citizens? Was Ms. Winfrey speaking from a statistical point of view or does she have list of Nigerians that she can claim to have stolen from her? Or was Ms. Winfrey tired of the accusation of corruption being levied on African nations by white media that she thought it was better for a black person to accuse and hence stop the moral hemorrhage?

There is freedom of speech inherent in the constitution of the United States of America but the same constitution gives freedom to sue by an aggrieved citizen. Has any Nigerian citizen challenged, asked Ms. Winfrey to produce evidence to support her general claims or sue Ms. Winfrey for her indiscriminate accusation? Seriously guys, someone calls one a thief instead of defending oneself, one is found hugging or dancing with a goat belonging to another person. The fact is, can Nigerians at home and in Diaspora look all around them and defend Ms. Winfrey's accusation without resorting to "do not wash the nation's dirty lining in public"? Someone has to call a spade a spade and in so doing help Nigerians shake off this sigma of corruption and 419.

Human beings, generally, have a sickening code of ethics that say they cannot wash their dirty lining in public, and Nigerians are one sick people. It is all well and good if a thief steals once and repented, not washing dirty lining in public may be arguably justified. If, however, after giving so many opportunities for the thief to change a bad attitude, he decides not only to exhibit substandard attributes, but exhibits "10-commandment" forbidden behaviors at home and abroad, he has by his own action washed his own dirty lining in public. The fact is that one cannot fully scoop off the spilt milk that fall on a sandy soil?

Can Nigeria begin soul searching by reviewing some of the accusations by the EFCC, and London? When Governor Joshua Dariye, the then poster boy of corruption in Nigeria, was accused of money laundering in London, he escaped to Nigeria because he knew he was protected by an insane immunity clause in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Like a stubborn goat that never learn, Governor Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha repeated the same feat in London, stole money meant to improve lives of the citizens of his state, transferred it to London, got caught, given opportunity to defend himself in a court of law, he, instead skipped London and those he stole from were happy that their thief was back. When our police chief, Tafa Balogun carted away billions of Naira, his friends and the Obas from his area begged for forgiveness but never asked him for any restitution. Infact, he served few months in jail and kept his loots. Indeed, pen "armed" robbery seems to be profitable in Nigeria, why not? The fact is the gains far out weigh the punishment. So, why then can't Oprah describe some renegade Nigerians as rogues especially when there are human victims littered all over the world?

Those that see Nigeria's potential as a great nation and have been willing to contribute their quotas to her development ought to weep for HER IN the way she has been carrying on for the past 47 years. How does one fight corruption and end up being benefactor of corruption after leaving office? How can a nation, the laws, and leaders have capacity to punish 419 when they too are basking in corruption? There would be no moral justification to go after anyone that is corrupt, or is engaged in 419. It is time for the nation and her citizens to shed the last tear in their glands, roll up their sleeves, fight real corruption because if not, our nation would unravel like a pack of yawn. Presently, Nigeria is a nation of zombies and the land of the hopeless. We protect corrupt leaders from our conclave and chastise those that are not from our tribes or those we are not helping to launder money. A thief is a thief is a thief no matter where they come from. It is my believe that when corruption is conquered, the best of Nigeria will ooze out, there will be a reverse brain drain, and peace and tranquility will be pervasive in the land of the living again.

Now that the President has inaugurated his cabinet, has again put the energy and petroleum department under his belt like his predecessor, let us see if corruption will be tamed under the leadership of President Yar'Adua, the first graduate president of Nigeria. I am concerned that the president may unknowingly be violating the constitution by appointing himself as the de facto Petroleum minister. Let us wait patiently if Yar 'Adua's Presidency will end up proving to the nation that education is a panacea for good governance. If it is, those graduates can pat themselves on the back but if not, we can all pack our loads and get ready to go to hell on earth and in the life after.

The nation has received so many mea culpa from erring Governors, police chiefs, Ministers, presidents, etc. and it is all well and good but if these people loot the treasury, confess, given, say, two years in a luxurious jail and asked to keep the loot, tell me how many poor citizens would not be ready to go to prison for two years only to come out to enjoy billions of Naira? The Nigerian methods of punishing thieves just simply encourage breeding of more thieves. Can't our religious leaders, Christians, Muslims, African religions challenge their believers to adhere to the tenet of hard work as a form of creating lasting wealth and obligatory legacies? May the almighty open the eyes, mind and soul of our president, our ministers, our legislators, our executive Governors, our commissioners and our citizens to see that there is pride in creating wealth legally. In any nation, statistically, one should expect that there'll be between 1 to 3% deviants but if a nation, any nation at all has more corrupt citizens than hardworking and honest ones, the nation has incalculable problem. May the almighty continue to breed patriotic servants in our nation - Nigeria, "servant leaders," as President Yar 'Adua calls himself such that Nigeria will never again be referred to as a "DEN OF THIEVES" - amen.