Definition of corruption. Yes, as ludicrous as it may have appeared to most of us, President Jonathan was absolutely right when he said corruption is not synonymous with stealing. Stealing, which is covered by the Theft Act, is to just take what does not belong to you whereas corruption requires the cooperation of another party to give you an unfair advantage, for you to make a gain of some kind. Of course, that willing party more often than not is motivated to cooperate because of what he too stands to gain. This could be in the form of a bribe, a kickback, or another form of unjustifiable benefit. It may all sound like semantics but that is just the way it is.
Corruption is to circumvent a process or system put in place for the common good, thereby ever so gradually, destroying it, just for your selfish interest. Corruption is to turn the spotlight on your perceived enemies while you turn a blind eye to the obvious infractions and indiscretions of those you call your own. Corruption is to expect others to toe a line because it benefits you when they do but for you to exempt yourself when it suits you do so. That is why it has been said the greatest form of corruption is to make yourself an exception to something you prescribe or subscribe to. So, for a policeman to extort a young man simply because he is carrying a laptop and accusing him of being a 419 while making sure the investigation of a big man “ole” is conducted in a way that ensures it never sees the light of day is certainly the height of corruption. Just as governments disobeying court orders at will while enforcing the rule of law on others is equally corrupt. Corruption is anathema to justice and the supposed peace of a society devoid of justice is akin to that of a graveyard.
Read also: How corruption stifles SMEs growth, increases the business cost
This inevitably brings us back to a definition of character, which says a man of character will always desire to do that which is morally right, will pursue that which is morally good and because of his values will do what is right whether in private or in public. So, an action that benefits the interest of the few to the detriment of the general public cannot be anything but corrupt, no matter how you try to spin it; even if you fancy yourself as a Naija-style Robin Hood! Robin Hood was loved by the masses because he robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Robin Hood Naija style prefers to see the state as “no man’s land” or a national cake where anyone who’s fortunate to get the opportunity is free to grab his own slice to enrich himself and take care of those around him.
The Naija style Robin Hood denies millions of the poor to enrich a handful of his friends and relatives and yet he is shamelessly celebrated as a hero
The truth is, the state belongs to us all and it would have been better for you to leave that slice where it was, as that slice could improve the lives of millions rather than the tens you so graciously “blessed” with your largesse. The Naija style Robin Hood denies millions of the poor to enrich a handful of his friends and relatives and yet he is shamelessly celebrated as a hero. The real Robin Hood must be turning in his grave.
There is a reason why the forbidden apple eaten in secret always tastes so sweet but it is always to destroy. It destroys the lives of those denied the joy of the commonwealth just as it entices but subsequently destroys the soul of the culprit too. That is why the Bible warns us that “stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious! But little do they know that the dead are there”.
Plato, quite erroneously believed that an “educated” man would not only be wise but having mastered the art of reasoning, would also be “good” for “virtue” is knowledge; meaning moral uprightness is an automatic consequence of education. On the face of it, it may appear ridiculous but is it really? Should someone who has gone through the rigours of intellectual self-development, with the aim of enhancing his ability to reason not realize that serving his society as best he can, is the surest guarantee for him, in turn, to benefit optimally from this society?
Leaders of more developed nations who come together to ensure checks and balances are in place to checkmate tyranny and the natural human tendency to oppress are not stupid. Faithful to self-preservation instincts as living beings, they know this is about the only way they can effectively safeguard themselves from oppression when the table turns, and others take over the reins of power. Especially when a Pharaoh comes who does not know Joseph.
So smart reasoning and the ability to look beyond the “now” speaks to the need to be good. Of course, Plato’s protégé, Aristotle soon disproved this theory with his assertion that even the best-educated man could succumb to immoral tendencies due to what he termed “moral weakness”. He correctly observed that a morally weak person may well know the right thing to do but is too weak to resist doing wrong. The corrupt man is fully aware of the moral questions his actions may throw up but lacks the character required to resist temptation when it comes.
Changing the nation…one mind at a time
