By Emmanuel Edukugho
People of this country are sick of talking about corruption. They have little or no interest in finding out why this cankerworm has continued to eat deep into the fabric of our nation, because corruption has virtually overwhelmed everyone, defying all efforts to halt its rampage. It has become a national way of life.

Since return to civil rule in 1999, corruption in all its ramifications has turned a major component of our democracy. Transparency, accountability, justice, equity and integrity thrown to the dogs. The craze for wealth and ill-gotten fortune has escalated as both the leadership and followership seemed not relenting in the rat race to make money by hook or crook. The end justifies the means

It had been argued that corruption has become both systemic and endemic now accepted as the normal way of life in Nigeria – the get-rich-quick syndrome. Two institutions; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), created by law to combat corruption, have been fighting a losing battle, likely to be consumed in the long run by overwhelming forces of corruption.

Professor Samson Adenola Ayanlaja, Vice Chancellor of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, a Christian faith based institution, believes the panacea to corruption is righteousness. It will be understandable had this prescription came from a clergyman. Yet not much difference because he is an academic, erudite scholar, with heavy Christian religious background of the Apostolic faith.

In this interaction, he bared his mind on issues bothering national life – social economic, educational, political, scientific and technological issues. Ayanlaja is a Professor of Agriculture, specialist in Soil Science and Environmental Pollution Management.

Professor Samson Adenola Ayanlaja

He was a Senior research Officer and Head of Sub-Station of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria before joining Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University in 1984, rising to the rank of full Professor in2001.

On the main objectives of the university.

One essential objective of this university among others is to promote by research and other means, the advancement of knowledge and its practical application in solving social, cultural, economic, scientific and technological problems. In addition to this, we strongly desire to incorporate Godly virtues into the learning processes here.

Produce graduates that would bring discipline, honesty and integrity into the Nigerian workforce, bearing in mind that the major bane destroying Nigeria is corruption, eating deep into the fabric of the nation.

We’ve been doing this effectively and we are grateful to God for the wonderful transformation of the lives of all our graduands so far.

Corruption is drawing Nigeria back. We want to confront this problem by producing graduates of exemplary behaviours and exhibit integrity who will go places and deliver Nigeria and Africa from the cankerworm which tend to take us back to the old days, keeping us perpetually in underdevelopment.

How are your graduates performing after leaving here?

Some of our graduates are pursuing various postgraduate programmes in some of the best universities in the world.

Those who have gained
employments in various sectors of our economy are shinning light, giving their best. We’ve got attestation from employers that our graduates are examplary in character, in honesty, hardwork and integrity.

Those who decided to be self-employed are also pulling their weight to strengthen the Nigerian economy. They are also equipped with entrepreneurial skills – in fish farming, bakery, hat making, pure water manufacturing, and can become employers of labour. The National Universities Commission (NUC) ranks us very high in our programmes. We have graduates that can kick-start Nigeria’s industrial revolution.

This is a university that has zero tolerance for corruption, immorality and vices, and we are delighted to be producing responsible graduates with sound morals who have keyed into our vision and mission. Examination malpractice does not happen here as students depend on self reliance to pass examinations without relying on corruption. They have imbibed righteousness.

On way to eradicate corruption

Righteousness is the answer to corruption. Knowing that corruption is not good, have the fortitude in the mind not to sin. It’s salvation renouncing sin, repentance and to have the inner ability not to steal or misappropriate public funds. That is only when Nigeria can be saved.

Take the case of the pension scam – money belonging to poor, old people who have served the country was stolen. These people won’t pray for Nigeria in their twilight.

What is your view on the oil subsidy, pension probes?

There are due process and processes to be followed in tackling these problems. Investigation, then take offenders to court, justice done, punishment given to the guilty according to well written down procedures in the court of law. Follow principles of justice, honesty and punished anyone who had erred.

Many graduates have  been lured into crime and anti-social behaviour because they are following politicians. What ever you eat that is not for you, you will vomit it, even including your intestines. To join politics, involve in hooliganism, not the way to go. No rectitude. Sin is not good, so repent. In this place, girls are not improperly dressed, so also men. Teach the children to be well behaved, and they won’t depart, or join bad groups to be bought over by politicians.

Do students pay uniform fees or you charge lower fees for members of the Apostolic Faith Church?

No disparity in fees paid by students. Fees are the same for all – members and non-members alike. But children of full time workers in the service of the church who are not on salary get scholarships. The church pay their school fees and also feeding.

How about first class holders and their future?

We do employ first class holders. Those that we know will be useful, we take them, while the excellent ones are encouraged. Those excellent graduates we give them lecture on how to attend job interview, getting job when competing with others, how to arrange their CV having certificate in entrepreneurial studies and so would be able to excel when called for interview. Employers of labour are likely to take them. This is how we support our students going into the world of work.

Is it proper for policemen to still be mounting road blocks after the new IG had ordered their withdrawal from the roads?

Policemen are not allowed to be on the road any longer. If found, they are on their own. They are doing so on their own volition to get money from innocent citizens. That is corruption – the cankerworm, time bomb …,. Only righteousness will stop it. Can also be stopped with inner integrity which can be given only divinely. That is what we teach our students – not to steal public funds, groom them, teach them to imbibe this virtue.

Our educational fortune is dwindling. Any suggestion on how it can be turned round?

NECO, JAMB, Post-JAMB will validate our righteousness belief. People buy marks, mercenaries write examinations for people. JAMB is just about shading answers and by chance you can’t miss all, if you do that for 100. Do we use that for admission into university? It is garbage in, garbage out. Quality of raw material is important, it determines the final product. Once something is crooked, it can’t be perfect.

Quality of materials should be good enough. Through Post-JAMB test, we make sure they are the ones who did the JAMB examination. We have a psycholgist at the Post-JAMB screening who looks at you to find out your personality – in dressing, age because if you are up to 25 years, it means you’ve been to other schools before coming here. Questions are asked to reveal candidates’ background, check cultism, impersonation, unrighteousness which are making all other sectors of the economy not working well.

There is need for complete overhaul of the education system. University education, polytechnic education, skill acquisition vital in any economy. Manufacturing, artisans, essential in moving the nation forward.

Sooner or later, there will be no mechanics on our roads; no builders, no bricklayers, no shoemakers, no vulcanizers, no battery chargers on the road side because university education has become the vogue. People are not thinking of skill acquisition. Trade centres to produce artisans, buildings, block making, textiles all are now defunct. Everybody wants to go to university.

University graduates are to design projects, polytechnics produce middle level. A coal miner earns like a Professor in UK. In China, skill acquisition is promoted, hence Chinese workers can change jobs at will because of manufacturing culture in that country.

Time has come to revive the old trade centres. More universities won’t solve the problem. We need more trade centres, vocational institutes, entrepreneur centres where practicals are done. University education does not prevent learning vocations. There can be headgears computer based, women’s dresses computer designed. Until we can have skill acquisition ….. Efficient power generation required, less our nation will continue to wobble.

On agriculture and massive import of rice, food items running into several billions of naira, Prof. Ayanlaja said it’s not the first time that Nigeria is importing food items that we can grow ourselves in this country.

He recalled a recent lecture he delivered at Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta in which the former President Olusegun Obasanjo remarked that Operation Feed Nigeria was launched, but later after he left, a Presidential Task Force was established to import rice.

Importers of rice allegedly asked American suppliers to raise the cost by $5 million US dollars to be shared later with the Nigerians. But when the Nigerians came back to demand their own 50% cut, the Americans refused to play ball. This caused a dispute, sometime ago, Nigeria refused to invest N13 million to grow rice but went to spend N35 million to import rice.

“Anybody enriching himself improperly is only troubling himself,” he concluded.