Last week, Nigeria was taken to the cleaners and reminded that she was “fantastically corrupt” and among one of two most corrupt nations in the world.
But it is no longer news that this country is corrupt. While we are ranked 136th of 168 nations on the Transparency International Corruption Index, our President Muhammadu Buhari, since he came into office, had made it something of his personal mission to remind the world about how corrupt Nigeria is whenever he is out there smooching the West.
I think most Nigerians were irked that the president, though the insult on his nation came up on the eve of his visit to London for the anti-corruption summit, still went anyway.
“We have got the leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain…Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world,” UK Prime Minister David Cameron was caught on tape telling the Queen ahead of the anti-corruption summit organised by his government.
But then, Mr President wasn’t bothered about the slur on his nation or what Nigerians thought about Cameron’s diplomatic gaffe as far as he gets what he wants – which is to get all stolen government funds and assets stashed in the UK returned. That explains why the president offhandedly agreed: “Yes, Nigeria is corrupt” but just repatriate our funds held up in your country. No need to apologise for telling us the truth.
I know the president has been widely criticised for painting his own people black, especially when he visits foreign countries. But this time around he pulled a masterstroke. I liked how he turned the tables in a most gracious manner. As reporters barked the question at him while he made his way to the venue of the anti-corruption summit, asking if Nigeria was truly fantastically corrupt, the president simply answered “yes”. He would later state that he needed no apology from Cameron or anyone else for that matter.
“What I will be demanding is the return of assets. This is what I am asking for. What will I do with apology? I need something tangible,” he said, rubbing his thumb and index finger.
Later, in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour aired on May 12, Buhari also said the British leader was “talking about what he knows” and no one should fault him on that.
Cameron’s remarks further point to the hypocrisy of the West in matters of corruption involving leaders of developing countries,
especially from Third World nations. While singing about anti-corruption and good governance, Western countries do little or nothing to help repatriate stolen funds mostly held in their
jurisdictions. The United Kingdom is a well-known destination for laundered monies. At least a third of stolen funds from developing nations, including Nigeria, is stashed in London’s real estate market and its classy shopping centres. London remains a preferred destination for a lot of Nigerian government officials who pilfer public funds and invest in the city. As we say here in Nigeria: “If a person steals and you help them keep their loot, what does that make you?”
If you follow the trend, almost all corrupt public officers in Nigeria have one history of investment or the other in either the UK or some other Islands. After all is said and done, we do not need anyone reminding us about what we already know and are working on; please tell us something else we do not know.
Thankfully, at the end of that summit, the British leader decided that henceforth, he would require overseas firms to sign up to a new public register if they own or buy properties or if they want to bid for central government contracts. So, if you are still thinking of taking money from your own county and buying properties in the UK or some other tax haven, be sure that Buhari would find you.
Last week, I promised to tell you about the ceremony that preceded the signing of the 2016 budget. It was a relief to hear that the budget would be signed on that particular day. Journalists who are accredited to cover the Presidential Villa resumed the earliest. At a point we saw the group from the National Assembly mostly dressed in white (coincidentally). They made it look like it was Christmas and in a sense, it was in fact Christmas Day. After all, the long-awaited record budget was to be finally assented to.
Previously the budget signing had always been a photo affair, so we thought it would just be as snappy as capturing the president on camera as he put pen to paper, signing it and making it an Act. Well, speeches were made by both the president and Senate president, while journalists hung around the corridor imagining: what if the president discovered some new padding or errors and sends back the budget? Thankfully, it was signed.
This is one of the most controversial, most scrutinised and most delayed budgets passed in the annals of democracy.
Well, what matters now is that we have a budget in place and, just maybe, things would straighten up in the economy. Now you can be alert to some of the promises of government, especially as it concerns you. Pepper and tomatoes sellers can now allow us have some peace and not remind us all the time, “Oh madam, it is not my fault, it is because they have not passed the budget”.
I totally forgot that they will now have something new to talk about, “The price of petrol don high”.
Elizabeth Archibong
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
