By Ephraim Oseji
Pastor Prosper Okolo is the Chairman /CEO of Prosper Integrated Logistics Limited, a Chartered Transporter and Chief Volunteer Corps of Nigerian Anti-corruption Volunteer Corps.

Prosper is a politician per excellence, a social critic and crusader . In this interview, he bares his mind on some of the happenings in the polity.

As Chief volunteer Corps for Nigerian Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps, what is it about?

Globally, corruption is part of the system. It’s just that the system has overgrown corruption. That is why she is still surviving, but in Nigeria, corruption thrives in public offices.

Okolo

EFCC is trying her best but corruption has eaten deeply into our system. Before EFCC was established, there was no graft agency that could match corruption strength to strength. It is part of creation and these agencies were created just not too long ago. We need God, prayers to check corruption. It’s a spirit, it’s just like other societal ills, terrorism, brigandry, kidnapping and so on.

It’s so scientific in operation and the concomitants of corrupt ion are greed, selfish desires, class distinction, fear of the future, poverty and having billions in the accounts and properties here and there does not make you a rich man. Another thing the government should do is to make public and political offices less attractive. In the world, our system is the most expensive and this makes it very expensive to get there. Political office is an investment and the higher the cost of getting there, the higher the return one expects while there.

Do you think corruption could really be effectively tackled?

Our system needs a lot of orientation and a shift of mindset. Spending time in trying corrupt politicians is equally spending money. There should be a law that states categorically the sanction for corrupt public officers. Proscribe corrupt politicians and every member of their families from holding or contesting for any public post and make them so irrelevant. If the person has any national award, it should be withdrawn.

Their names and their children’s names should be sent to the embassies as criminals and never to be given Visas for any reason to their 5th generation; post their pictures on the internet worldwide, give them global embarrassment and publish a national disclaimer on them, these are smart simple ways to put an end to all the greed that leads to corruption. The same punishment should also go for election riggers because they squandered the national fund to achieve their selfish aim.

What is the fun if you and your children can’t travel out of the country. If you are seen at the airport, you will be arrested and detained. The government should remove immunity from all public office holders except the president and some select officials. They should make the position less exalted.

How would the security challenges in Nigeria be handled?

We need God, because no amount of negotiation, dialogue or amnesty will solve the security issue. All we need is God. He alone can do it the way that will make sense and easy. He created everybody and He is the only Person that can speak to you and you can’t say no. The solution to it is prayer, prayer and prayer. Anything short of prayer is playing, that is my take on that.

What advice do you have for Nigerians when choosing their leaders?

Some of the problems we are facing today are the results of bad elections. Before you vote, the Christians and Muslims should pray for the right candidate because we all live in the same system.

Let them ask God to frustrate the bad eggs and install the righteous. We are sailing on a stormy weather, let us come together as a family.

Let’s see Nigeria as a man that gave birth to the Hausa, Christian, Ibo, Muslim, Yoruba, Tiv, Fulani, Ijebu, Niger Delta, etc. We need love, for if you love your brother, you can not hurt him because you will be part of his pain. Let us see one another as one family.

The local government elections are coming up in different states,the electorates should vote for credible candidates and not fraudsters that will deceive them to get their votes and call them fools afterward. They should ask themselves what the candidates did to change the lives of the people in his locality . Can he be trusted, will he deliver or is this another deceit is in the offing. This is another opportunity to change our destiny.