Anti-corruption drive will elevate innovation, intellectual ability in Nigerians – analysts

As President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade receives international backing, marketing analysts say the clampdown on corruption will create what they described as a “new normal,” where innovation and intellectual ability will begin to win in the Nigerian business place, instead of nepotism.

Before now, some businesses have relied on networking and connection to gain jobs, but Tayo Oyedeji, managing director of Media Perspectives, a Lagos-based independent media buying agency, told BusinessDay that the decline in oil revenue and corruption would hopefully empower intellectuals and the innovators to become more prominent in Nigeria.

Emphasising that in the “new normal” innovation and fresh thinking will rule businesses, Oyedeji, who cited his company, Media Perspectives as example, said the management had consciously elevated the importance of intellectual abilities and innovation.

The government may not be a talking one, but it is speaking louder than ever with its anti-corruption drive, he said, saying, “I was in the US sometime in December last year, and met with an Egyptian gentleman who said, ‘Tayo, I am excited about Nigeria but worried about my country.

“All of Africa is excited for Nigeria because they can see that there is somebody that is trying to stop the spread of corruption in the country. If Nigeria gets it right, then the rest of Africa will have hope that it can be done.”

According to Oyedeji, with the anti-corruption drive, graduates and workers will begin to realise that hard work pays.

Other stakeholders and Nigeria Labour Congress have equally commended the anti-corruption efforts as a necessary pill required to ensure discipline and proper handling and execution of national projects.

They however requested that the funds recovered from the efforts should be reserved in a special treasury for job creation, funding of educational infrastructure from primary to tertiary levels as well as and healthcare.

Also commending the anti-corruption drive as part of developmental efforts, Kelechi Nwosu, president, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), said in addition to that effort, government should equally focus attention on quick wins and urgent plans to revamp the economy.

According to Nwosu, what the nation needs are increased local production and higher productivity as basis that will grow the economy and strengthen the naira.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, last weekend, said the Buhari government was delighted that the anti-corruption war had been acknowledged and applauded on a global stage.

John Kerry, US Secretary of State, had in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, acknowledged the Buhari anti-corruption war. “It is particularly gratifying that in that speech, Kerry made the link between corruption and terrorism. We agree that corruption is indeed a radicaliser, because it destroys faith in legitimate authority,” Lai Mohammed said.