Governance in Nigeria, a criminalised enterprise —Kukah
Bishop Kukah
Mathew Hassan Kukah
THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah, has described governance in Nigeria as a criminalised enterprise, insisting that the country must be restructured to serve the interest of the citizenry.
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during a public presentation of a book: “The Shadow List: A Novel” authored by Todd Moss, a former United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under Secretary, Condoleezza Rice.
“I have said so about 10 years ago, that governance in Nigeria is a criminalised enterprise. This country is in such slow motion and sadly, every time we get excited about new administrations, the excitement doesn’t go the way we want.
“Nobody could have imagined that three, four years down the line, we will be feeling the way we are feeling. If know about Nigeria well, rather than thinking about the solution to the problems we have, we are waiting for a few Generals, a few men who governed Nigeria to tell us when they have found the signal bullet and we all gather around,” he said.
He noted that since 1999 till the last election it had became fashionable that the next President was usually known before elections were conducted.
Kukah, while stressing that Nigeria is very complex society, he noted that unless the country is restructured, it could not serve the interest of the citizenry.
He, however, noted that Nigeria does not need a God-fearing leader because that one itself would become an excuse.
“Nigeria does not need a God-fearing leader, because God-fearing has become an excuse,” he said, adding that fighting corruption was not a goodwill.
Meanwhile, a former Chairman of Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, in his remarks, said nobody could question the integrity of the current EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, saying he was proud of what he is doing at the Commission.
He said those criticising him have failed to look into the number of cases being prosecuted, cash and properties recovered and the dangers in carrying out the investigations.
Ribadu said: “Find out about cases being prosecuted in our courts presently. It tells you what is happening at EFCC. Anybody can say anything but the responsibility of EFCC is to investigate, do live cases seize properties that are subject to investigation and then go to court,
“We have how many cases now? Thousands of cases. Every single day there is an ongoing big EFCC case taking place in our courts. It tells you the story again of what is happening with the EFCC.
“They are doing a wonderful job. This is the most difficult job you can do in Nigeria. These people do not sleep. They go through hell, they have enemies all over, ” he said.
The author of the book, Todd Moss, said he was motivated to write on the organised crimes in Nigeria and some of other African countries and United States of America.
He said one thing he gathered from the investigation and reflected in his book was that the EFCC, Nigeria is helping to fight crime in United States of America.
Moss, cited the instance of Halliburton scandal in which a US Senator was prosecuted, while also commending the work of EFCC, particularly under the watch of Malam Nuhu Ribadu, saying that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back.