Why Buhari’s anti-corruption war is failing

Nigeria’s corruption rating around the globe has refused to be significantly decimated despite every effort the present administration claims to be putting in.  Year in year out, Nigeria’s rating on international corruption rating table is either static or taking a nose-dive. Many wonder why it has been so hard for us to fight and win the battle. Most concerned Nigerians are now confused with regards to how President  Buhari, who is an acclaimed apostle of anti-corruption crusade, has not made a significant headway in this fight.

The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) corruption survey released in 2017 showed that about 95% of Nigerians claimed they would receive inducement or bribe if offered them while only 5.3% said no. In the same report, other facts revealed that an average of  82 million bribes were received in a space of one year. It further showed that the total amount paid for corruption purpose was about four hundred billion naira which is equivalent to $4.6 billion in purchasing power. The bribes offered covered almost every area. While we are still awaiting what the 2018 outcome will look like, there is no guarantee things have changed significantly.

One needs to note that this is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. It cuts across Africa and other developing world. Mr Batidam, a member of Africa Union advisory committee, resigned his position in  June after alleging he could not continue to cope with the high level of corruption in the continental body while the officials who should speak against this continue to turn the other eye.

The simple truth is that corruption is a network with multi-layered branches. Dealing with the manifestation instead of driving hard at the cause plus other hidden supporting factors will not deliver any dividend in hundreds of years. It is certain that winning the war against corruption will never be a solo run.

Though it is possible for one man or woman to start the race, the war will require sustainable efforts of an army of believers who are determined and equipped with the right weapons. This is because the darts of corruption network are strong and dangerous with enough capacity to break the wings of its target as well as drain the principled life out of any careless person within months. If in doubt, ask the leader of the ‘integrity group’ within the house of representatives in the last regime.

Corruption network exists in the grassroots. This may not be in a large scale compared to what obtains within the aristocratic setting. It is in the media, entertainment,  manufacturing, education, professional associations and unions of nations. What makes the situation challenging is members of the network in the aforementioned units of the society are very smart. They have built bridges across channels with a sole aim of protecting their own. The network also brings together best of the brains in its train when it comes to protecting its own.

Anyone who will fight corruption must constantly watch his own back. No thanks to the fact that the network has representatives in any known system. Governance is its central appeal. Governance provides a suitable platform for policy formulation and implementation which affect millions of people. Effect and dividends of corruption at this level can also be massive compared to other channels. This is the major reason why corruption network targets governance at all cost.

In our own clime, weak institutions have given an opportunity to the network to enshrine its tentacles in an epic proportion.

Some of the factors at the foundation of the network include fear, personal insecurity and self-protectionism. In most cases, these factors give birth to greed and need to have majority of the populace become slaves to the network.

Any government that is going to reduce the influence of the network considerably, this must first be achieved, before it can destroy the network must think creatively and innovatively. Any individual or government which aims to win the war cannot do a solo run, as we have now. It must be a crusade with a loyal and dedicated army of strong believers in the project.

The war must not be focused on individuals, just to settle a score or two. It must not be based on religious and ethnic cleansing, it must be a war fought with equity. For he that must come to justice’s table must come with equity and clean hands. Some of these qualities are lacking in this present government approach. This will make the long walk to freedom farther, unattractive and possibly unattainable.  Any corruption fight which ignores these virtues will make the fight a child play. It will encourage corruption to thrive massively underground.

Today in Nigeria, we have the president and his vice as the major crusaders. We can also affirm there are other unknown and credible Nigerians within the system who believe in this crusade. But the civil service, legislature and judiciary still have a strong majority who are part of the existing corruption network. It is this latter set of individuals who work hard to ensure that the fight against corruption is not a success.

It will take a village of believers in the fight to make significant changes. We must go back to the schools, we must incorporate our religious and traditional leaders. We must produce strong advocates in every industry and community who are ready to speak out and stand on the truth they know. We must build strong systems and institutions with capacity and capability to scale the fence. Like former President Obama said recently in South Africa ”we must reduce and dismantle the rise of strongmen who aim to protect the status quo”.