Ridding a corrupt country like Nigeria of
corruption will take a little while, but it has to
start from somewhere and by someone.
Corruption is a complex social, political and
economic phenomenon that affects all
countries.
It undermines democratic institutions, slows
down economic development and contributes
to governmental instability. Corruption attacks
the foundations of democratic institutions by
distorting electoral processes and conducts,
perverting the rule of law and creating
bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for
existing is for soliciting bribes.
Economic progress is stunted as foreign direct
investment is discouraged and small businesses
within the country often find it impossible to
overcome the “start-up costs” required because
of corruption.
Corruption threatens our national security and
gives rise to a safe haven for terrorist. This is
the scenario we find ourselves as a nation.
It was on the ground of ridding the country of
corruption that President Buhari came into
power. And since his ascension to the highest
position in the land, his greatest efforts and
strength have been channeled to defeating the
Boko Haram insurgency and fighting against
corruption.
Both efforts seem to be yielding results, as to
some extent, one can say that the Boko Haram
insurgency has been incapacitated even though
not completely defeated while the fight against
corruption is just but taking shape.
Nevertheless, corruption is a symptom of deep-
seated and fundamental economic, political
and institutional weaknesses of a country. The
fight against corruption will be effective, when
measures against it address the underlying
causes and not just the symptoms. President
Buhari must move beyond the fighting against
corruption, and build lasting institutions that will
live on after he is out of office.
Emphasis must not just be placed on fighting
corruption but also be placed on preventing
corruption by tackling the root causes that give
rise to it through undertaking economic,
political and institutional reforms. The Treasure
Single Account (TSA) is a valuable initiative, but
it is just one of the many initiatives needed to
prevent corruption.
Anti-corruption enforcement measures such as
oversight bodies, a strengthened police force,
more efficient laws and reliable law courts
amongst others, are needed to genuinely curb
and prevent corruption. This is because
corruption and institutional weaknesses are
linked together and they feed on each other.
So, getting rid of corruption helps a country to
overcome other institutional weaknesses, just
as reducing other institutional weaknesses
helps to curb corruption.
One of the fights against corruption since the
inception of this administration has been the
thorough investigation into how the funds
meant for arms procurement were spent and
those involved in the spending. Quite a number
of people have been arrested in connection to
the illegal spending of the arms procurement
fund and the “latest man” on the roll is the
spokesman of the opposition party, Chief Olisa
Metuh.
Olisa Metuh is the current spokesman of the
onetime biggest political party in Nigeria and in
Africa at large. He was not so vocal a
spokesman; he was not even vocal enough as
his counterpart, Lai Mohammed, when he was
the spokesman of the then opposition party.
Nonetheless, one thing is sure; he defended his
party to the last and spoke always positively
about his party. And to him, there was no time
his party was wrong.
Unfortunately for him, officials of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on
Tuesday, January 5, 2016, stormed his Abuja
home, took him away to their custody and since
then, his life has never remained the same.
He was remanded in Kuje Prison by an order of
a Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to
charges of money laundering involving N400m,
part of money meant for procurement of arms,
which he collected from the Office of the
National Security Adviser in November 2014.
He was later produced in court by prison
officials and was granted bail to the sum of
N400m as bail bond. Not too bad of a bail
condition!
But you see, you need not have to run when
nothing and no one is pursuing you, and fear no
guilt if your hands are clean. But for Metuh,
while in the custody of the EFCC, he was
alleged to have destroyed the evidence against
him and again, re-arraigned before a Federal
High Court in Maitama, Abuja, which ordered
that he be remanded over two counts of
destruction of evidence and mischief preferred
against him by the EFCC.
And on Friday, 22nd January, 2016, for the
second time in just two days, he was granted
bail in the sum of N300m with two sureties in
like sum. The total bail sum now N600m.
Putting the two bail conditions together, the
spokesperson of the People`s Democratic
Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, will need a total of N1
billion to secure is bail from Kuje prison while
his case continues.
Pathetically, now that the Deputy National
Publicity Secretary of his party, Alhaji Abdullahi
Jalo, had said that it would be wrong for
anyone to be expecting the party to provide
sureties for Metuh when the party did not
benefit from the money he allegedly collected
from the former National Security Adviser, Lt
Col. Sabo Dasuki (retd.). It means Olisa Metuh
is on his own and has a long way to go. But to
me, it seems his journey has not even started.
The point is, will Olisa risk getting his bail with a
bond of N1 billion when it`s not even sure of
winning the case? Would it be better he stays in
Kuje and seek for a speedy hearing of his case
so his fate can be quickly decided? Well,
whatsoever happens to Metuh, and those
involved in the arms procurement scandal
should teach the rest of us that power is
transient and the greatest gift a true leader can
give to his people is selfless leadership, that is
devoid of greed and wickedness.
Less than a month in Nigerian prison, Olisa has
grown older than what he`d be in 5 years time.
He has grown grey beards and not really
looking like the Metuh we used to know-
looking skinny and perhaps already
experiencing the other part of the world.
Before now; the evil that men do live after
them, but now the evil they do live with them.
Those that are standing with Metuh should
better stand right with him with all their might.
Else, he becomes Methuselah in Nigerian
prison.
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