Charles O

Why Are Nigerian Public Officials Such Kleptomaniacs?

Posted May 5, 2007 · Charles O

In Nigeria, government officials’ theft of public funds has become so entrenched in the culture, that you will hear Nigerians say, “_if na you dey dia, you sef go chop money_,” which is to say, “if you were in public office, you’d steal money too.” We have so debased ourselves as to accept that we are collectively ethically deficient. And because that ethical deficiency is an inherent national malaise, the Nigerian people should never be in a position to challenge public officials who unabashedly (and conspicuously) steal public funds. Over time, the Nigerian people have become an increasingly complacent lot, passively accepting the assault inflicted on the body-collective by a persistent oligarchy. The late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti epitomized the Nigerian countenance when he characterized Nigerians as tending towards “suffering and smiling.” If Nigerians are complacent, they are also resilient. But complacency and resilience where they coexist, over time, produce fools.

In Nigeria, a person of average means foists his way into public office through sheer brigandage. Within a span of four years he becomes so wealthy that he is rewarded with all the chieftaincy titles of the land; indeed, numerous books are commissioned to celebrate the legacy of his four years of public “service.” In contorted Nigerian fashion, our politician’s ill-acquired “wealth” becomes the basis for his consolidation of even more power, so that he now aspires to higher office, gains access to that office through ever-more-forceful brigandage, and steals even more money because he now has access to more. To reward him for his continued public service, he is awarded yet more accolades and chieftaincy titles — hence, “Double Chief John Bigmoney” — and chants of ‘_ranka de de_,’ ‘_baba ke_,’ et cetera, et cetera. The cycle reinforces itself, and the effect is eerily the same across: once a Nigerian politician insinuates himself into office, only death will pry him loose.

But the original question remains: Why are Nigerian public officials such kleptomaniacs? Why do they continue to stash the country’s money in private foreign (most Western) accounts, as though they were preparing inheritances for ten generations hence?

I have a few hypotheses of my own, but would like to get a sense of what you, as a Nigerian (and even non-Nigerian), think.

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Comments

Hi Charles,

I’m totally with you… and agree with everything that you’ve pointed out here. What Nigeria really needs, I think, is a fresh start, which I know is easier said than done. Our Country has so much potential, but corruption is the one thing that will always hold us back as a Nation. The only way to move away from our current situation, move forward and upwards, is to take several step backwards, and reorganise ourselves (politically). Perhaps people should be encouraged to get some basic knowledge of what it means to be in politics, rather than taking so many back routes into office. There are so many changes that will need to be made (as well as sacrifices) before Nigeria becomes our dream country. In the mean time, there is obviously a strong need to build a very solid foundation, the bedrock for the Country to build on. That foundation requires honest men and women, loyal first to the people, our Countries image and progress, before concentrating on their bank accounts.

John Kennedy once said, “ask not what your county can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. You know, if the political leaders decide to adapt the same concept, we will be half way were we need to be!

Added by ada ofodum on May 06 at 04:43 PM

Dear Charles,
The subject of your write up has been one of the most frequent thoughts that come to my mind since my academic sojourn in Europe.I had, and still wondering why our leaders preferred to dump our national wealth into foreign bank accounts in foreign lands while the masses,some of whom are even close to them by blood are wallowing in poverty by default!
I was in lagos recently for about 2 weeks and I could not confidently say I saw public power for more than a total of 24hrs throughout my stay. A suitation that should not have been if our leaders have been sincere to the nation and the dictates of the office they occupy.
Infact, I think our leaders are still suffering from colonial mentality as that is the only explanation for a group of people who take delight in the suffering of fellow human beings while they go about parading their wealth and excesses.
The only consolation I personally have now is in the new president elect,Musa Yar Adua, someone whom I have come to respect far before his desire,or that of the power that be in the PDP, to even comtemplate nominating him for the party`s ticket.
As a follower of public affairs, I could remember reading an edition of the TELL Magazine years back, in the first dispensation where reports from the EFCC indicated that Yar Adua as governor of Katsina State in Northern Nigeria, was the only serving governor at the time who had no link whatsoever to any form of misappropriation of public funds. And this was at the time when the EFCC was no where being used as a political machine of the incumbent and the ruling clique in the PDP.
The next few months again, will define how soon our dear country will begin to tour the path of civilisation and respect for the human race, as a country which subjects its citizenry to abject poverty in the presence of almost all forms of wealth generating resources has no respect for human dignity.

Added by Dr Olugbemiga Adelakin on May 09 at 01:06 PM

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