Corruption, Nigerias Problem Today

The very popular opinion is that Nigeria’s greatest challenge is corruption and that when it is effectively checked the nation’s development will progress more rapidly. Indeed the current APC-led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari anchored its “change” campaign on three thematic areas namely – corruption, security and the economy. In fact, for the administration, corruption is the foundation of the problem. This is the thinking of most Nigerians and indeed foreigners. Nigerians have the unenviable reputation world-wide as being corrupt people.

The recent labeling of the country as being “fantastically corrupt” by the immediate past British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron comes to mind.

It is true of course that corruption has become endemic in the Nigerian national life. It is pervasive and has permeated all facets of society and not just the public sector. But is corruption the problem with Nigeria or is it a symptom of a deeper national malaise?

In considering this question a number of real life scenarios come to mind. First, while I lived in Lagos I participated actively in my neighbourhood residents association, the Onikan Residents Association. These types of associations are very popular in residential areas in Lagos.

All the residents of Onikan in Lagos Island were members of this Association. We contributed money to provide common services in the neighbourhood such as security in particular, waste disposal and sanitation sometimes electricity and water.


The Executive Committee of the association consisted of Nigerians. The Executive Committee never mismanaged the money contributed by members. In fact, they usually worked very hard to justify the confidence their neighbours had reposed in them. At the monthly meetings, they gave full and detailed account of their activities and how monies were expended on projects.

If for any reason they failed to give account, the members demanded it of them. Everyone who aspired to the Executive Committee aspired to provide service and never to enrich himself or herself with the money of the association. The members also always tried to select the most reputable of their neighbours to lead the Executive Committee.

Wherever there was a case of mismanagement or embezzlement which was very rare, the members sanctioned whoever was responsible. In fact, if a case of theft of the money of the association was established against any executive member, such a member would likely be ostracized from the neighbourhood!

Contrast this scenario with what happens, for example, the Lagos Island Local Government. The citizens of Lagos Island including Onikan residents actually expect the chairman of the local government council to enrich himself from the funds of the council. The more successfully he does so the more he is acclaimed as successful by the citizens.

An aspirant to the office of chairman of council actually expects to enrich himself and his family members and cronies from that office. The occupant of that office will usually be invited to be the chief launcher at occasions and functions of family, friends, churches and other civil societies. People will say “it’s his turn to chop” and hail him for being “lucky”!

Yet if the local government council functioned properly, associations like the Onikan Residents Association will be redundant or even unnecessary.