Probing Such Cultures Promoting Much Corruption in Nigeria

 

The recently released Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report is another call to action against corruption in my dear country of Nigeria. Quoting verbatim from the Trading economics website on 18th February 2025; “Nigeria is the 140 least corrupt nation out of 180 countries, according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reported by Transparency International. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory's rank indicates its position relative to the other countries and territories in the index”. From this ranking, Nigeria is perceived as less corrupt than 40 countries and more corrupt than 139 others.

Predictably and unfortunately, so long as we persistently uphold a public procurement system, for instance, whereby a to-be-favoured-vendor is asked to bring “two other pre-filled invoices” to mimic a pre-qualification, Request For Quotation (RFQ), Expression of Interest (EOI), and other steps in transparent bidding, we will just be deceiving ourselves. Were this dishonest trait to be the exclusive preserve of those occupying government offices, the citizens may consider casting the first stone at them. Unfortunately, the general population seems infested to take more scoops of rice than apportioned by the servers at a party when several others haven’t been served.

When a colleague posited lately that most retired Federal civil servants who own comfortable duplexes or terraces in Abuja, Lagos, Port-harcourt and their likes cannot swear with sango, sopanna or ayelala that they never took more food than they were served at the table of civil service, I didn’t bother asking for clarification or proof. Why? The allegation appears substantiated by what we see daily. The fear of tomorrow and the bleak retirement packages that await him/her after retirement are fiery incentives to take more than you are given in a country where citizens have failed to compel those in authority to build an enduring social security system for all of us.

Furthermore, a careful check reveals that there are other self-inflicted instigators of corruption among Nigerians, and they date back to as far as our numerous cultures, traditions, beliefs, and social habits can be remembered. Consequently, I’ll dedicate my ink and sheet to a detour from the usual over-concentration on the perceived efficiencies or otherwise of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices & other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in tackling financial malpractices. This treatise will focus on the noticeable habits in the Nigerian society that promote quiet tendencies of dishonesty, exploitation, sleaze, bribery, fraud, particularly in an immoral bid to enrich oneself through money and materials. My conviction is that less attention is given to probing such cultures that promote much corruption among the largest geographical congregation of black people in the world.

1. Murky social security system – I know that there is no justification for corruption and so, I neither subscribe to, nor lend support for any form or proportion of it. However, when you juxtapose the needs of Nigerians (like all humans on earth) with the popular concept of “Manslow’s hierarchy of needs”, it appears that apart from the air we freely inhale (save for the ill persons among us), we do not have a guarantee of the first two - “physiological” and “safety” needs. Can’t this kind of uncertainty, among others, predispose to corruption? 

 

Pyramidal depiction of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (source: simplypsychology.com)

It appears that corruption thrives partly because Nigerians do nearly everything for themselves and feel insecure and uncertain perceiving and/or knowing that there is no system in place to meet their needs next day. The feeling of being despised by those in authority tips Nigerians to self-help. The feeling of being naked prompts a reflex to grab any cloth – not minding the purity or legality of its source. Like most Nigerians have to do, I bore the entire cost of a piece of land, grading of the road & blasting of rocks along it, erection of four electric poles and equivalent electric wires to connect to public power from the adjoining four poles & wires previously bought by my neighbour (Pastor Oguntuyi), digging of  two wells and piping them to an overhead tank for clean water. In addition, I join my neighbours to continually maintain the street road by constructing a concrete floor and a make-shift concrete drain to safeguard the eroding part along the slopy road at some point, and so forth. What if the pressure of knowing that I have a country that leaves me to entirely fend for myself had pushed me to sharp practices to raise funds for ‘quicker’ completion of my house?

However, accurate data is the most important raw material needed to construct a virile social security system that links citizens’ data (and their income records & taxes – for both formal & informal sectors) to critical social services for everyday need (including access to consumer credit facilities and not partisan & occasional palliatives). Such data system will also scientifically identify the socioeconomically vulnerable citizens. The underutilized National Identification Number (NIN) ought to fill these gaps to help government (Federal, State & Local) holistically plan (relative to her revenue), implement (through relevant government, corporate and civil society bodies) and evaluate a self-sustaining social security system for all via food, water supply, health insurance, general insurance, housing, pension, and support for all residents of this country. Unfortunately, baseline data such as birth rate, death rate, population size, etc. are still a mirage. If majority of Nigerians are guaranteed access to a social security system, the lure for corruption to survive Manslow’s two low ranking needs (first & second levels) will significantly reduce.

2. Mesmerizing public offices – The glamour, ostentation and illegal access to misuse of public funds that characterize public offices occupied majorly by politicians (and some top civil servants) have incited many other Nigerians who are only waiting in line to corruptly enrich themselves. Our mendacious public procurement system is the main source of the illicit flow of public funds into private pockets of political office holders and their cronies (e.g., contractors). Like I usually ask political office holders via the title of my previous article published in year 2023 – “Without embedded privileges, will thou embrace politics?”

3. Marital pressure – monogamy at a young, and financially insufficient age; or polygamy at any age. While I do not criticize either choice, the undue marital pressure for marriage by the Nigerian society can make people, particularly male citizens, steal, both for hosting the marriage ceremony and fending for their intending wives & to-be-family.

4. Multiplicity of children – In 2024, Nigeria’s Total Fertility Rate - TFR (average number of children that a woman of reproductive age will have) was pegged at 5.009 (United Nations, 2024) and is one of the highest across the world. With an affinity for more children, the propensity to embrace corrupt practices is high. 

5. Mutual entitlement – Our communal culture leaves many people feeling entitled to what some others have, with the former placing demands on the latter. Such sense of mutual entitlement and responsibility for many others often predisposes the perceived benefactor to material & financial malpractices.

6. Materialism – There is a strong lure for material possessions (fleet of cars, hordes of properties, collections of gold & diamond jewelleries, stashes of fabric) etc. that is dangerously recognized and celebrated by the majority, displacing anyone who dares choose simplicity amid plenty, as a pauper. Many Nigerians of all ages are consciously or not, in constant chase of such materials.

7. Momentary exhibitionism – Not just to acquire materials, but to have “historical” moments to show off these acquisitions including money - physical cash - either physically (at social events - burial, marriage, birthdays; in places of worship - churches, mosques etc.) or virtually (on social media platforms), many Nigerians will embrace corrupt tendencies to achieve such vain moments. Often, such exhibitionist tendencies are driven by desire for societal “recognition” (e.g. by traditional rulers to earn them chieftaincy titles, by political parties to earn them offers of party tickets for political contests, by worship centres to earn them religious titles etc.)

8. Manipulative enforcement of anti-corruption laws – Sanctions are instituted through laws to deter wrongdoing. Unfortunately, the perception of a whimsical and subjective wielding of the big stick by EFCC and ICPC in matters of financial crimes is not sufficient in discouraging many Nigerians from corruption.

Finally, may I remind Nigerians that though we may have been mercilessly and protractedly undressed by misrule, we cannot be beautifully and sustainably dressed by corruption. The government and governed need to close ranks to mitigate the cultures exposed in this article as fuelling corruption in our society.

Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi is a Medical Doctor, Health Finance Specialist, Author, Reformer, Coach, Public Policy expert and social entrepreneur who can be reached in Abuja via adetoluademujimi@gmail.com