FEATURE ARTICLE

Prof. Adekunle AkinyemiSunday, November 1, 2015
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Pikesville, Maryland, USA

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NEED TO REBRAND CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA

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orruption as a word, has become so ubiquitous in our daily life that one is beginning to doubt the seriousness with which the word is taken. It is an abhorrent word in all its ramifications as it has become a chronic disease in our land and also in other parts of the world in varying degrees. Corruption is as old as society itself and cuts across nations, cultures, races and classes of people. It had been in existence since the beginning of man and not likely to be in extinction any time soon! It had been there, it is still present and it will continue to be present in all societies in the global village. As a worldwide phenomenon whose severity varies from one nation to another, its effects are damaging to nations, societies, groups and individuals. We all know that one of the major obstacles to the development of Nigeria is corruption and it has become one of the major cogs in the wheels of our progress in the 55 years of our existence. Corruption is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of our time, it has led to our impoverishment and loss of lives. It is immoral and antithetical to the positive virtues of all societies, it has impaired our growth and development for so long and threatened the stability of our dear nation Nigeria.

The causes of corruption in societies are many. Greed, kleptocracy, indiscipline and poverty are at the forefront of the causes. While it may easily be linked with poverty, as in petty corruption, in Nigeria one is amazed that corruption has thrived more among many of the elites, politicians, and public office holders. These are certainly not the poor people in the Nigerian society by any means. What a shame!

Some African people have tried to trivialise corruption as mere 'mutual goodwill' and 'gratification' because in one culture what is called bribery (corruption) is seen as 'mutual goodwill' and 'gratification' in another. This may have been 'acceptable' or 'understandable' but for the colossal amounts involved which far exceeds mere goodwill or gratification. Scholars, writers, and activists have argued that corruption in whatever form is a myth, it is despicable and unacceptable. According to them, it is clear to any African that the traditional African society frowns at corruption or stealing of anything that does not legally belong to one. There are strong community sanctions for such bad behaviors. In the era of globalization, Africans need to jettison many of our age-long mythologies. The 'African time', the 'corruption-goodwill' myths or syndromes must be deleted from our dictionaries (menu) and our ways of life, if we are not to be left behind in the global race for the survival of nations.

In Nigeria today, the hue and cry over corruption and several moves to curb it, remain the subject of discussions and concerns of governments, organisations and well-meaning individuals all over. The entire society is bleeding from the scourge of corruption. The greed of a few has fueled the high level of corruption and it is killing us as a nation. It is shocking that the mention of the word 'corruption' no longer commands the negativity which it deserves. This is because we hear, read, and talk about it almost every second of the day. In effect, 'tell me what is new about corruption' has become the new slogan! Corruption, has become a household word in Nigeria to the point that the call for rebranding is now being made, if it will make the word more nauseating and annoying. May be, rebranding it will attract the negative connotation needed to deter and stop looters and kleptocrats who are out to bring our dear nation on our knees because of their greed.

Why Rebrand Corruption?

Corruption is a disease anywhere and anytime. However, the fact that people are making a mockery of it is why we may need to redefine the word, so that we can better come to terms with it and detest the acts. The etymology of the word 'corruption' has to be put in better focus so that our people can understand the essence of rebranding it, to seek a permanent cure for the scourge as an endemic problem in Nigeria. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have defined this ugly ten letter word simply as "abuse of public office". Such abuse is possible through the instrumentality of private agents; briberies to circumvent public policies, practices, and processes; personal benefits through patronage and nepotism; diversion of revenues; and usurping of public and state assets and other such dishonest means.

Corruption, being a hyra-headed monster, can be viewed, classified, and categorized from many perspectives. For example corruption can be done "according to the rule" - where a public office holder receives private gains for performing duties he/she is employed to do or "against the rule" - where a public office holder is paid a bribe to give services that he/she is not supposed to provide (prohibited services).

These two categories of corruption may come in different forms as will be briefly explained. Bureaucratic corruption is where favour is being bought from bureaucrats who formulate and administer all sorts of government policies (economic, foreign exchange, political, taxes, import and export licenses, privatization of Government assets etc.). Economic corruption is where businessmen and businesswomen use corrupt means to pervert the normal institutional and governmental regulations to influence and obtain undue advantage or values for goods services and products. Grand Corruption is where a high public office holder such as President, Governor, Minister, Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer or Civil Servant steals, embezzles, or fraudulently appropriates huge funds for personal benefits. Judicial corruption is where and when a law enforcement agency or officer and/or the court perverts the course of justice. Moral corruption is when people in positions of authority engage in practices which are unethical and morally reprehensible as in demanding sexual favours in exchange for appointments, promotions or academic grades/marks or gaining undeserved advantages over others. Petty corruption is where an individual in office, home/family or social settings cheats others in a non-criminal issue or act. Survival corruption is where a worker/public servant of whichever category, who is underpaid and depends on illegal small incomes to feed family and fulfill family obligations, as in worker going for months without their salaries. Political corruption is evident in the activities connected with election rigging, successions and manipulations of people to retain power and remain in office. Manipulation of election results and prevailing on elected political officers, who have been democratically elected into office, to step down for others and receive compensations of 'juicy positions' or in cash. This is corruption at its best! No matter what name corruption is called, it is obnoxious in all its ramifications. We need to delete corruption from our menu or else……

In one of my previous write ups, I explained that the word corruption has its own hierarchy and strata. The different levels are all bad, evil, and criminal and they vary in shades and severity. For example a child telling a lie cannot be jailed, whereas an adult who lies under the Oath may be imprisoned. Cheating and dishonesty in one setting may go unpunished, as in cases between different categories of people (adults and children). However, at the governmental or organizational levels, cheating and dishonesty are criminal. Please find below a listing of the various words arranged in the alphabetical order, which describe corruption and whose hierarchy can be arranged from one setting or organisation to another.

Listing of the various dimensions of Corruption

  1. Bribery, Burglary, Break-in, Bag-snatching, Bad-mouthing

  2. Cheating, Crookedness, Cruelty,

  3. Contract inflation, Compromising

  4. Deceitfulness, Depravity, Deals (shady), Dishonesty

  5. Exploitation, Extortion

  6. Falsehood, Fabrication, Favouritism, Fowl-play, Fraud,

  7. Illegal Gratification, Illegal enrichment,

  8. Illegal rewards (of public officials), Illegal deal

  9. Insincerity, Inaccuracy, Impersonation, Immorality, Inequality

  10. Kickback, Kleptocracy

  11. Lying, Lurking around, Looting (Treasury)

  12. Malpractice, Mendacity, Mischief, Monkeyshine,

  13. Monkey business, Mugging

  14. Pranks, Pilfering, Purse-Snatching

  15. Robbery, Raiding, Rape

  16. Skullduggery, Shadiness, Stealing, Sleaze, Scandal, Shoplifting, Sin

  17. Taking advantage of others, Trickery, Tomfoolery, Theft

  18. Unethical practice, Unreliability

  19. Venality, Vice

  20. Wickedness

It is clear from the above list that everyone alive has committed a couple of these at one time or another. We all still continue to find ourselves guilty of many of these, even now and many will cross the line as human beings. Sin is the most common form of corruption. It is more often than not, viewed from the spiritual perspective as a daily occurrence for every living being in all societies. The Holy Bible indicates that we are all sinners and that the cleanest of us is as dirty as a filthy rag. This may have been one of the compelling reason for the universal blanket use of the word corruption in all societies.

Rebranding is usually effective and good, where the product is excellent. However, rebranding a bad product, like corruption, does not change its undesirability or make it any better! Attempting to rebrand it may just serve the purpose of calling a spade, a spade and calling out the despicable act rather than calling it corruption, which has become the fashionable terminology these days!

Corruption without consequences

Unfortunately, its ubiquitous attributes in Nigeria is making it to become somehow moribund. The inherent restraining and deterring force behind the horrible word has lost its strength in Nigeria judging from the present state of affairs. There has been no serious consequences for being corrupt. Many public officials get away with it, under the guise of immunity and impunity! Renowned and celebrated Nigerian Kleptocrats have been known to walk tall in our society. They carry themselves as forces to be reckoned with in our society, instead of hiding their faces in shame! There is an urgent need to recast this word or associate some bad stigma to it, such that no one will want to be associated with it henceforth. As bad as it sounds, people don't mind saying 'it is everybody's practice'! This may be because far too many Nigerians have gotten used to being dressed in borrowed robes. Many live above their incomes and means, under the guise of the traditional African cultural use of the word 'goodwill', to loot and rob the state. Until we all cultivate the correct habit of living within our legitimate incomes, the scourge of corruption will continue to plague us. Many people have shamefully, wrongfully and criminally relegated it to the status of "petty corruption" in the society. Modesty as a way of life, will remain the only way to guarantee a "clean and honest Nigerian society". The saying that "Nigerians sabi chop life too much" (ostentatious living), will not get us anywhere close to winning the war. Continuous mass campaign, public enlightenment, slogans, and Radio and TV jingles, decrying ostentatious living will be best for the Nigeria society. We must kill corruption patapata.

If you are still left in doubt as to why we must rebrand, re-couch or re-group the words under corruption for use in Nigeria, I will make myself a bit clearer. In the management and business circles, a brand name is referred to as, distinctive names of persons, terms, designs, symbols, services, products, or concepts which publicly distinguishes one service, thing, or product from others. These are coveted and protected names which are often copyrighted, trademarked or service marked. These names make it easy for persons, products or services to be easily recognized, communicated and marketed. Why not do the same for corruption? Since Nigeria thinks she needs to practice her own brand of Democracy (home-grown), we may as well rebrand our own home grown Anti-Corruption Battle - Lootocracy or Kleptocracy slogans to sound and be acclaimed to attract consequences and punishments to deter other Nigerians from the sordid and ignoble behaviours.

Talking Loud and Saying Nothing

Where do we go from here in the light of the above? There is therefore an urgent need to re-strategise our use of the word corruption by calling a spade a spade, in the war against corruption. Our so called 'determined effort' to crush corruption can best be described as the utterances of a 'toothless bull-dog'- talking loud and saying nothing! We need to go the whole hug of spelling out our meaning of corruption so that the people of Nigeria may know the real offence, as opposed to the overused word 'corruption'. Is it Stealing or Theft? Is it the Looting of our treasury? Is it money laundering? Is it Burglary? Is it Bribery? Is it Rape or sexual harassment? Is it Forgery, Fraud or Falsification? Is it Kickback? Is it Armed or Unarmed Robbery? Is it Exploitation or Extortion of persons or society? Is it Kleptocracy? Is it impersonation? Is it Immorality? Is it contract inflation? Is it Illegal gratification? Is it cheating? Is it currency trafficking? Is it illegal enrichment? Tell it as it is from now on and publicise the corresponding consequences to serve as deterrents to others.

Just what do we mean by corruption? It seem to this writer that we may need to spell out what the real offence is, in addition to the mention of the word corruption, if we must use the word at all. To confirm the overuse of the word corruption, I will suggest that Sociologists/Researchers investigate the frequency of the use/mention of the word corruption in Nigeria for either a typical day or week in each of the following media:

  1. Radio stations (Broadcasts)

  2. Television Stations

  3. One or more Newspapers

  4. Debates, conferences and other public fora

Results of such studies will reveal some astonishing findings. Renting the air with the mentions of the word corruption is not the same as waging an active and lasting war against it. One is tempted to conclude that the mentions and references have become mere mockery of the word since the needed actions and consequences are not evident. Serious consequences of corruption need to be drummed into the ears of the people to strike enough fear into their minds, young and old. Result of corruption investigations and recoveries of loots to date, cannot be compared with the colossal amounts of money stolen from the public treasuries in the nation. The disappointing careless comment that 'everybody does it' should be jettisoned.

We can judge which way the pendulum is swinging in our war against corruption since Independence. From what is going on in the different sectors of our economy, we do not seem to have scratched the surface of this chronic disease, even as of now. Despite the ongoing war against corruption, the corruption game is still very active and alive in many sectors of our society and perhaps thriving as ever before! There is need for a more concerted effort from governments to curb or kill corruption. It should become a taboo in the Nigerian society very soon under the new Government of change.

It is hoped that with the assumption of office of the new Ministers and other Appointees, Nigeria will wake up to a new dawn. Ministries and Agencies must begin to understand that all eyes are on them and that the expectations of 'change' will be rent the air. Politics will no longer be synonymous with corruption in Nigeria. We need to draw the line which Nigerians will not need to cross. Corruption should become off-limits henceforth. Merit will from now become the order of the day as we all live as brothers and sisters in our conducts and make these our way of life as we bid farewell to corruption. We need to start to spell out the type of corruption and consequence so that the seriousness of the offence is released for all to read, hear, feel or see. This is when people will realise the gravity of the shame associated with corruption, in its gross terms. Relatives, friends and associates of the corrupt individuals (kleptocrats) will then feel the seriousness of the shame and disgrace being smeared on them. It is my hope that this will serve as enough deterrent for people to change from the corrupt 'business as usual' practice. The new practice from now on should be talking loud and saying something. We should mean business and turn our nation around.

In conclusion, much as I think that I have succeeded in stirring up agreement and disagreements in many quarters on the meanings of corruption, the absolute meaning of the word corruption, rests in its 'abuse of position of trust and responsibility'. This had characterized the unlawful, dishonest and gross behaviours of many Nigerians - politicians, civil servants and public office holders and workers, to the peril of our nation. What Nigeria needs now is the strict enforcement of laws, since rebranding corruption may not be of any value, without the requisite enforcement of laws and appropriate consequences. Letting the greedy and selfish looters get away with their loots, will only make a mockery of rebranding a bad product and leave our great nation in perpetual impoverishment. Remember, the only part of the world you can change commences from your immediate environment. Accountability, transparency, integrity, and dedication to our duties should be our watch words. Let these be our way of life and Nigeria will be transformed. The battle continues and we shall win. Long live Nigeria.

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