AS NIGERIA marks 65 years of independence by October 1, 2025, celebrations would be unnecessary. Six decades and five years of unfulfilled promises have left a legacy of shattered dreams, distrust, fear, hatred, and division.
The masses, who once saw independence as a gateway to hope and opportunity, are now burdened by the weight of disappointment and disillusionment. Corruption seems be the incontestable hero and achievement of our independence.
Corruption is crippling Nigeria, acting as a gravitational force pulling the nation down. The petroleum sector is a prime example, with the NNPC’s secrecy and dysfunctional refineries symbolising the issue. Despite paying staff, refineries lie idle, while Nigeria imports refined products and claims fictitious subsidy payments. Now, with Dangote’s efforts offering a glimmer of hope, vested interests are working to sabotage progress.
From its inception in 1960, Nigeria’s viability as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious contraption by our colonial masters, was questioned by many. The colonial bandits brought strangers together for their economic gains. The devastating civil war and ethnic and religious rivalry seemed to validate these concerns. Successive leaderships have prioritised preserving national unity, often by any means necessary, sometimes by hook and crook. The country limps along as it gets older and disintegration is the only thing that can happen effortlessly if not for the handling of one Nigeria agenda.
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After 65 years, Nigeria’s persistent challenges have been corruption and poor leadership. Another problem has been the unwillingness or inability of our leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example, as eloquently captured by renowned writer, Chinua Achebe, in his pamphlet, The Problem With Nigeria.
Our leaders have overtime prioritised personal gain and ethnic interests over the welfare of the masses. The issue isn’t the complexity of leading Nigeria, but finding leaders who are not corrupt and are ready to put citizens’ needs first.
Bad governance thrives in Nigeria due to the systematic dismantling of structures that support societal growth. Corruption has been entrenched, creating a vast economic divide between the privileged elite and ordinary citizens. It has become normalised, fuelling widespread cynicism about the possibility of honest leadership. Even the civil service, once a bastion of professionalism, has been corrupted, transforming innocent employees into accomplices in a system that perpetuates graft.
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The EFCC Chairman’s recent statement about resigning if Yahaya Bello isn’t prosecuted rings hollow. As a government appointee, he’s likely aware that APC allies often receive leniency on corruption allegations. The agency’s selective pursuit of justice suggests it’s used as a tool against opposition, rather than a genuine anti-corruption effort. Politicians are not really averse to corruption, they rely on it for funds for their campaigns.
Corruption seems to be Nigeria’s most pervasive achievement over the past 65 years, infiltrating every sector: academia, healthcare, military, judiciary, oil and gas, ports, customs, police, electricity sector, armed forces, civil service, private sector, civil society, labour movements, electoral bodies, and even religious organisations. It’s ubiquitous, touching every aspect of Nigerian life.
Corruption permeates every aspect of Nigerian life, with transparency and decency in short supply. Governors are defecting to APC, allegedly drawn by the party’s 2027 strategy, which was tested in the recent Edo State election. Elections have become commodified, leaving ordinary citizens without hope. Positions of power are seemingly up for sale, with capacity and merit taking a backseat to financial influence.
All the social vices we are suffering in Nigeria today are the offspring of corruption – insecurity, dilapidated infrastructure, heavy indebtedness, lack of trust, division, hatred and chauvinism. Corruption continues to deepen our misery and there seems not to be an end to it.
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The cycle of corruption endures mainly due to government reluctance to prosecute high-profile offenders for fear of ruffling the political class. Even when the late former President Buhari came to power, Nigerians who were mythically attached to him had high hopes that he will be able to fight corruption, but unfortunately, APC has shown to be more corrupt than any political party in the history of Nigeria.
Corruption is crippling Nigeria, acting as a gravitational force pulling the nation down. The petroleum sector is a prime example, with the NNPC’s secrecy and dysfunctional refineries symbolising the issue. Despite paying staff, refineries lie idle, while Nigeria imports refined products and claims fictitious subsidy payments. Now, with Dangote’s efforts offering a glimmer of hope, vested interests are working to sabotage progress.
The Buhari administration’s handling of the school feeding program almost made corruption look like official state policy. It raised serious concerns about corruption. A minister, Sadiya Umar Farouk, was once quoted as saying that her ministry spent N600 billion on feeding school children during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Corruption underlies Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: food insecurity despite agricultural investments and fertile land, a dysfunctional healthcare system that forces elites to seek care abroad while ordinary citizens suffer, a failing education system that leaves millions of children out of school, and a security apparatus crippled by graft, unable to effectively combat insurgency. Corruption’s grip on Nigeria is suffocating, perpetuating a cycle of poverty, inequality, and instability.
The ICPC later traced N2.67 billion meant for the program to private accounts, contradicting claims of feeding students during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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Similarly, the current administration’s N90 billion allocation for student loans through NELFUND lacks transparency, leaving Nigerians in the dark about beneficiaries and their states of origin.
Corruption permeates every aspect of Nigerian life, with transparency and decency in short supply. Governors are defecting to APC, allegedly drawn by the party’s 2027 strategy, which was tested in the recent Edo State election. Elections have become commodified, leaving ordinary citizens without hope. Positions of power are seemingly up for sale, with capacity and merit taking a backseat to financial influence.
Corruption underlies Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: food insecurity despite agricultural investments and fertile land, a dysfunctional healthcare system that forces elites to seek care abroad while ordinary citizens suffer, a failing education system that leaves millions of children out of school, and a security apparatus crippled by graft, unable to effectively combat insurgency. Corruption’s grip on Nigeria is suffocating, perpetuating a cycle of poverty, inequality, and instability.
As Nigeria marks 65 years, it’s time to take a stand against corruption. This destructive force threatens our nation’s future, perpetuating poverty and undermining progress. Let’s unite to fight corruption by refusing to support or shield those who engage in it – whether politicians, business leaders, or religious figures. Our collective future depends on our actions today.
