The Nigerian Blame Game; Old Horses, New Horses, Same Cart, Same Path

Corruption is like a canker worm that has eaten its way deep into the social structure of Nigeria. Various administrations have attempted to nip the scourge in the bud in various ways, with varying degrees of success. Now the new norm is having current leading past leaders, blaming past leaders currently leading of corruption in government.

Despite the well-publicized declaration of war on corruption, Nigeria still has a long history of this phenomenon. Sadly, the animal kingdom too has been blamed for the loss of huge sums of money. Looted funds by corrupt government officials returned by foreign countries are even stolen or spent in suspicious circumstances on return.

The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) tends to be steadily declining. For instance, three years in a row, Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in the world: 2001, 2002, and 2003. While in 2006, Nigeria was ranked the 21st most corrupt country in the world.

The CPI Score is based on business people’s and analysts’ impressions of the level of corruption, and it ranges from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt).

For a country blessed with crude oil and other natural resources, it is a wonder how this does not reflect in the everyday life of the average Nigerian. Amid abundance, politicians and those saddled with the responsibility of starring the country in the right direction rather seek aid from foreign donors and enrich themselves while nobody is held accountable.

Despite these challenges, this West African country of resilient people is the most populous in Africa, with a population of around 197 million people who belong to any of the 300 ethnic tribes.

For further information visit Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index by clicking here.