By Olakunle Agboola – Statistically speaking, Nigeria has consistently ranked low in the World Governance Index in areas such as government effectiveness, political stability and the presence of violence and terrorism, rule of law, and control of corruption. Nigeria is perceived in the 2020 Transparency International Perception Index as a highly corrupt country with a score of 25/100 while its corruption ranking increased from 146 in 2019 to 150 in 2022 out of 180 countries surveyed.
I vividly remember writing my Government Certificate Examination (GCE) some years back at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun-State at a very tender age. It was a special centre, especially for late registration. My experience of exam malpractice by exam officials, and corruption at this centre still live with me. One cannot but ask questions sometimes growing up and looking back at Nigeria’s situation over six decades of independence without a glimpse of oscillations . I still remember walking through the door and going into the exam hall when two police officers asked if I wanted to sit in Hall A or B. This was strange as I could not decipher what the two police officers were trying to say. They knew I knew nothing about the sitting arrangement as they asked me to step aside. I did fall out of the line as I saw other candidates on the line saying “A and B” simultaneously as they entered the exam hall. I was later bailed out by a guy standing behind me who told me A means external exams machinery with payment of 500 Naira while B means normal candidates.
I laughed hard coming in as normal candidates but my heart bleeds seeing police officers who ought to shun corruption and exam malpractice at the hall entrance collecting money throughout the exam period. The exams supervisor, external exams invigilators and the police officers were in sync to make money. Throughout the exams period, I kept asking if we were all writing the same exams. It was a poignant and deep-rooted experience of basking in the array of hope when a set standard across all sectors in Nigeria won’t be compromised or bent by corrupt practices.
Through corruption, many who ought not to be politicians, senators, governors, presidents and commissioners have manipulated their way into political offices. Many of them are never used to navigating the right path to success but rather cut corners to get what they want. This declining state of Nigeria is manifested in the downward spiral of political leaders not to recognize systemic risks such as election fraud, terrorist attacks, exam malpractice, armed banditry, forgery and corrupt practices.
It has become a necessity for Nigeria to navigate through her present shackles or integument which is not in the absence of intentional leaders with great character coming into politics. The ladder of political leadership attained through bribery, intimidation, vote suppression and violence will have to be cut off to have a system of governance that is founded on the pedigree of equity, justice and fairness. Firmness to judgement and having deterrents punished in all situations without compromising the standard will set the country on the right path to greatness.
Nigeria over the years have not been able to have vibrant laws due to dominated individuals who gain power through nepotism rather than competence. They will rather influence voters with food rather than vision or consolidate power through intimidation or by incentivizing constituents with material gifts which they frame as “empowerment” to keep people subservient and loyal political followers, who always defend them on social media and never see anything wrong with their political masters. Also, the political elites or agents who have delivered their states or constituencies through rigging and violence are compensated as ministers or rewarded with government contracts. Sometimes it is a show of shame when some of these ministers are screened on national TV. They are easily bypassed taking a bow when some of them are without formal education and being labelled by corrupt practices. It is never about competence but a reward system of selection.
Moving forward, the Nigeria Constitution must ensure that only citizens who can formulate policies and make informed decisions in the public’s best interest should be allowed to run for public office. When the Constitution dictates the standard of governance, informed citizens will be better equipped to champion political leadership or determine the qualifications of their leaders. On the other hand, Aspiring leaders are expected to demonstrate their intellectual pedigree to translate knowledge into effective, transparent, and accountable governance that leads to national prosperity. The bar should be raised, and good standards of screening leaders should be encouraged. There should be accepted norms for coming close to the corridor of power in Nigeria and not a rubber stamp exercise that won’t take Nigeria anywhere. The demand for competence and good character in public office will help to strengthen Nigeria’s laws and compromising the standards will easily dwindle the spiral.
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