Politicians and corruption

©Political office holders in Nigeria are wired internally to be corrupt. Corruption in Nigeria has become a predicament. Nigerians, it seems, are helpless and cannot do anything to curb corruption in high and low places. Attempts by a past leader, General Murtala Muhammed, to curb corruption failed and he got killed in the process.

Another Nigerian leader, now late, former President Buhari, also tried to curb it and he got frustrated & the politicians in power during his tenure had a field day. Some building 774 duplexes and we are still counting.

Ex-President Obasanjo also tried but wasted energy and made bad decisions regarding his third-term bid offers to legislators. Bandits are on the rampage in some states and security operatives cannot move against them due to bad roads.

The gains of subsidy removal have increased allocations to states substantially but corrupt governors have refused to channel the surpluses to execute critical projects for the common good. Can the people continue to endure and cope with corruption in the face of the disasters befalling the nation?

A food for thought for those who still have conscience. Many Nigerians have lost hope that things will get better. The inescapable truth is that, the only way to revolutionise Nigerian life and curb corruption is the type of revolution, action and or punishment unleashed on corrupt politicians by the late General Murtala Muhammed.

Politicians and some media houses still fail to see the path General Murtala trod could have saved Nigeria from moral degenerates who do not value principles, honesty, truth and conscience. Nigeria needs a new breed of politicians who will bluntly ally themselves with Murtala’s anti-corruption type of campaigns of the mid-70s.

 John R. Jimoh

 Aseese, Mowe.

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