Graft war is collective responsibility – stakeholders

A citizen-led anti-corruption initiative ‘Not in My Country’ was launched yesterday in Lagos, with stakeholders at the event restating that graft war in Nigeria is a collective responsibility.

Those who spoke at the forum, including minister of health, Isaac Adewole, represented by his director of media, Biodun Akinnola, called on Nigerians to join in the fight against corruption, saying the initiative was critical at this state in the country’s history, “as it fits in to President Mohammadu Buhari resolve to fight corruption.”

Also speaking at the event, which has series of video stories in one minute each revealing corrupt practices in the society not only in the public service, but also among the citizenry, Gbenga Adefaye, managing director of Vanguard newspaper, stated that the impact of corruption on Nigeria’s economy had been serious.

Gbenga commended the initiative as a citizen-led fight against corruption, noting, “This is essentially complements and should complete the government initiative to take out the corrupt and serve them as necessary example to others.

“When we identify and do away with the corrupt, from the carpenter to the mechanic to the nurses and so on, it will be easier to reorder the society and vote in only the right leaders, which will engender mutual respect.”

He said because of corruption, Nigerians had been bruised, cheated and diminished, as “we are labelled as example of the Dutch disease, no development, poor infrastructure, no electricity, no fuel and where there is, it is sold at high price, no water, no roads and no jobs, faint hope and despondency.”

In fighting corruption, indiscipline and lawlessness, Gbenga recommended that the nation needs to name and punish, hoping to deter others. But he regretted that the more the nation decides to fight corruption, the more hydra-headed it becomes, while anti-corruption commanders complain of the corruption fighting back.

He said that attention of fighting corruption should not be only on political corruption, pointing that we tend to condemn corruption but celebrate sudden wealth. “Why would be okay to condemn corruption but excuse the corrupt if he/she is our clan, religion or tribe,” he retorted.

Gbenga further said Nigeria should stop lamenting, as there was no better time than now for change.

Explaining the idea behind the initiative, the creator, Akin Fadeyi, who said the concept was mooted in 2006 was to create change among the citizenry for a better society.

According to Fadeyi, at the forum attended by top media practitioners including the editor of Daily Sun, Steve Nwosu, Simon Kolawole, publisher of the Cable, among others, Fadeyi said he was uncomfortable with indiscipline, corruption, misbehaviour, extortion and driving against traffic by some Nigerians.

He called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of change to stem the systemic corruption by the leaders and the led, even at small places as ‘Not in My Country’ offered a way to be part of this change.

It is believed that corporate organisations and government relevant parastatals would key into the project to drive the message further.

 

Daniel Obi